Always
by Vicious Grin
Summary: Several years after Naraku is defeated, Sesshoumaru finally decides he wants a left arm again. Along the way, his past manages to seep back into his life. SESSx? oooOOOOooo LEMON in later chapters. This is my first fanfic, be gentle.
1. The Beginning of the End

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters in this story. ...hmm... well there might be one that I own, but I think I got that name from another book I read...

ANYWAY, this is my first fanfic. Don't bite my head off if I change the history around a little. I KNOW its not accurate. Comments and suggestions are welcome, just don't be mean about it. Annnnnd there may be a LEMON later on... actually, there will be. hehe

**ON WITH THE STORY!**

**Always**

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!" the young girl, Rin, cried out to the Lord of the Western Land, "Wait for me!!"

The demon slowed down his pace, stopped walking, and looked behind to see a tiny Rin chasing after him. She paused suddenly and ran back to the toad like imp, Jaken, stumbling a few yards behind, and scolded him for being so lazy.

"You should watch your tongue, young human!" Jaken retorted.

The girl laughed. "Jaken, you're funny. Hurry up before Sesshoumaru-sama leaves us!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes softened as he saw the girl push Jaken, already out of energy and gasping for air, faster until the two of them caught up. By now the imp was just about ready to fall over. He cursed Rin, who just ended up laughing at him. Realizing his words meant nothing to the girl, he gave up and sighed.

Sesshoumaru took a liking to the girl over the years. He grew fond of having her around to scold Jaken when he felt no need to. Her innocence intrigued him even more so.

_How is it she always seemed to be so ignorant and yet so aware at the same time? _

She couldn't have been older than eight or nine, yet she had always looked up to him as some sort of father figure. He could never understand why until now. He cared for the child like a lion would it's cub. He never admitted that to anyone but himself.

The demon felt a tug on his hakama and looked down to the a bug eyed Rin looking up at him. He softened his cold stare and almost smiled at the girl.

"What is it, Rin?" he asked her.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she started, "where are we going now?"

He was silent for a moment.

Naraku had finally been destroyed several years ago, but in his absence, many power hungry demons had taken the opportunity to try to replace him. None were ever able to succeed, but they _were _getting stronger.

_This is as best a time as ever. _

"We are going to the village by the river over there." he said as he pointed his index finger north.

"Why?" The girl sounded scared.

"I have some business to attend to."

"With a human?!"

Jaken jumped in and hit the girl's head with his staff. "Don't you dare speak to Sesshoumaru-sama with that tone, stupid girl!"

Rin rubbed her head as tears built up in her eyes.

"Jaken!" Sesshoumaru's voice rose, his expression remaining the same.

"Y-yes Sesshoumaru-sama?" he replied, hiding behind his staff.

"You are never to hit Rin like that so long as she is with us."

Jaken bowed and apologized to the girl. She couldn't help but laugh at this and picked up the little imp and gave him the biggest hug she could. "I forgive you, Jaken!"

Jaken gasped and kicked for air.

Sesshoumaru only looked toward the direction of the village beyond the river and said nothing, his expression never changing. Rin couldn't help but feel something was wrong.

The young girl whimpered and grabbed his right index finger. "Sesshoumaru-sama? You're not going to give me away are you?"

He could sense that the child truly was frightened. He looked down at her and gave her that soft look only she knew. This relieved some of her tension.

"Rin," he told her kneeling down, "I would never give you away unless you wanted to leave."

"Never! I want to stay with Sesshoumaru-sama forever!!"

Sesshoumaru stood and grabbed Rin's tiny hand, something he rarely did. She seemed almost shocked at this rare contact. Jaken's jaw dropped. Never before had he seen his master show any emotion toward anyone. Could it have been because he no longer had to prove his strength towards anyone? …no, that wasn't it. He never had to prove anything to anyone. Whatever it was, the imp hoped it wouldn't effect the way his lord ruled the Western Land. That would most certainly lead to it's destruction.

"Come Jaken." Sesshoumaru ordered. "We are going to that village now."

With that being said, Sesshoumaru began walking in the direction of the village with Rin skipping alongside him holding tightly to his hand, and Jaken chasing after.


	2. Meeting Zyanya

**Disclaimer**: I don't own shit. -.-+

Annnnnd this is chapter 2. We meet a new people. yaaaayz. How come I no get reviews on chapter 1? Is my writing that bad? Am I not pwetty enough???

ok, no more of that. I think it could be that for some strange reason, the site isn't letting the story open for people. If you are able to open this and read mai story, LET ME KNOW!! it'd be nice to see what you think of it too... cause... you know... I want to make it better!!!

* * *

The group arrived in the small village just as the sun was setting. Rin was cradled in Sesshoumaru's right arm, sound asleep. He liked this Rin. She looked so delicate and innocent as she slept… like a little flower waiting to be plucked. He wanted nothing more than to protect the child from any outside forces that could potentially wake her up, but he could not.

"Rin," he said, softly nudging her awake, "wake up. We are here."

The child slowly opened her eyes and saw a group of people walking about the dusty road. She nearly panicked at the sight of them and hid her face in the demon's chest, slightly whimpering. He placed his head close to the child's ear and whispered, "Don't worry, you're safe," before setting her down on the floor.

"Jaken," he called for the imp, "watch over Rin. We are going to that dwelling over there." He pointed at what appeared to be a small shack several feet ahead of them.

_No turning back now. _

* * *

Jaken boldly knocked on the entrance to the building with his two headed staff.

No answer.

Sesshoumaru waited patiently. Rin hid behind him as Jaken knocked again, this time more annoyed.

The door slid open fast, startling the imp and causing him to lose his balance. Had Rin seen this, she would have thought it to be a funny sight, but she was more focused on what was inside the strange hut.

"I am here to see the apothecary of this village." Sesshoumaru said, "I am told she is one of the best."

A cat appeared in the doorframe, gallantly walking towards the entrance. It looked to be an average size animal. It had short fur, completely white - almost like snow - except for a black patch around its left eye. It stared at Rin with it's shimmering purple eyes, never blinking. She thought they looked like jewels. It was a very attractive cat. The animal blinked then shifted its gaze over to look directly at Sesshoumaru.

"I assume you wish to see Zyanya?" The voice came from the cat as it began to transform into something bigger.

A tall, slender, woman with pale skin and long, flowing, light blue hair stood before them. Her tiny nose rested on her round face right above her small, pale, lips. She wore a white yukata and tied part of her hair back with a black ribbon while the rest hung free around her shoulders. Rin spotted her claw-like fingernails and grabbed onto the back of Sesshoumaru's hakama to hide herself. He placed his hand gently on her head to comfort her. Her eyes looked up and noticed his nails looked similar to that of the woman's, only his were longer. This comforted the child a bit and she relaxed her grip on him.

The woman paid no attention to this and bowed her head at seeing Sesshoumaru. "My name is Zyanya, and I am the healer of the small village. Is the child sick?" she asked, glancing over at Rin's pale face. Her face looked cold.

"My daughter is fine." he told her. Rin looked up at him.

_Daughter??_

"I am Sesshoumaru," he began.

The woman studied his fiery amber eyes. There was something familiar about them, but she couldn't quite figure out what. Her purple eyes glistened in the light just as her cat form's had.

"and I am in need of your assistance." he finished, a bit tense, but his expression remained the same.

She could tell he didn't like the way she studied his features. "And why should a youkai, such as yourself, be in need of MY assistance?" She was playing with him.

"You are one too, are you not? Or were you just born looking like one?" Sesshoumaru hated being toyed with, especially by a woman who obviously had never met him before.

She raised her eyebrow at him, but never broke his eye contact.

"_Why should I help you? All you've seem to have ever done was kill anyone in your way!" _her mind hissed.

He broke the silence, sensing her irritation. "My daughter, she has not had a proper meal in two days, nor a proper place to sleep."

"I am not an inn, youkai. Tell me what YOU need. Otherwise there's a nice hostel across the village."

Sesshoumaru bowed his head and lifted up the left sleeve to his red and white haori, exposing what remained of his left arm. Zyanya closed her cold elfin eyes and moved to the side as she let them make their way into her home. Rin followed close behind Sesshoumaru and lifted her head for a moment to get a better look at the demon healer's face. It looked so defeated, yet she thought it was the most beautiful face she had ever seen.

* * *

The inside of Zyanya's home looked the exact opposite of what Rin had expected to see. Outside, it appeared like a dark, rundown, shack that should have been abandoned many years ago. Inside, it was bright, warm, and welcoming. The walls were a soothing cream color, the floor looked freshly polished, and it looked like she adorned what little furniture and drapery she had with the finest of silks. It seemed like a lord's home rather than a simple villager. Rin felt a bit ashamed to walk in with dirty feet and could only imagine what Sesshoumaru and Jaken were thinking.

"Don't worry," Zyanya said, placing her hand on Rin's tiny shoulder, "homes are always being dirtied at every hour every day. This one is no different."

She let the three to a small table in the corner of the main room and poured them all some warm herbal tea. As they drank, she set out a few mats for them to sleep on. Jaken took this opportunity to claim the most comfortable one right away and drifted off to sleep almost as soon as his small, round, head hit the mat.

Rin had begun to drift off as well. Sesshoumaru noticed her tiny head leaning on the pelt he carried on his right shoulder. She liked to call it his "fluffy" and snuck naps on it whenever she could. He pushed her little body up and instinctively, she crawled lazily over to the snoring Jaken, shoved him over, and shared the mat with him. The imp let out a low growl in his sleep.

"How long has she been in your care?"

Sesshoumaru looked over at Zyanya, who was staring off intently at nowhere in particular. She was talking to him in a soft voice so as not to wake Rin.

"Since she was born."

"You're lying." she mused.

He looked down at his porcelain tea cup. She had poured sake into it instead of tea like she had to Jaken and Rin's.

She leaned her head down and tilted it to the side so she could get a clear view of his eyes.

"Where are her parents?" she asked.

He looked at her. _How did she know he lied to her?? _

He closed his eyes. "Dead."

At least that was the truth.

"You brought her back to life?!" Zyanya exclaimed in a trance sounding more surprised than shocked.

_How did she know?? _

Her eyes became dull and she shook her head, breaking out of her trance.

"I apologize. I shouldn't have pried in like that."

There was a silence. It wasn't awkward, but it wasn't pleasant either.

"How long will it take for you to develop another arm for me?" That was the one question he had been wanting the answer to. "I have no reason to stay if you will not do it for me."

"Patience," she said, "It will not happen overnight, you know. It is a week long process, and a most painful process at that." She almost enjoyed saying that last part.

He was silent again.

"You will need to remain here and make as little movements as possible. Nothing sudden, nothing laborious. Such things can irritate the process, and I don't think you'd enjoy walking around with a deformity you are fully capable of preventing, now would you?"

He thought she sounded like an overprotective mother. He decided to test her patience and boldly asked, "And if I don't?"

"Then you wouldn't be here." was all she said as she stood up and walked off to her room.

Sesshoumaru didn't know why he felt so… playful all of a sudden. He assumed it was the sake taking some kind of effect, even though he knew a cup would do nothing to him. But it did taste a bit strange…

He put his thoughts in the back of his mind and leaned against the wall nearest Rin.

"_This is my daughter." _he heard himself echo in his mind.

"My daughter…" he whispered.

If only it were true. He imagined what the tiny human would have been like had she truly been his daughter - and what her mother would look like as well.

The girl tossed around in her sleep and kicked her legs a little. She let out a little moan and whimpered. Sesshoumaru noticed this and placed his hand on her forehead. She grabbed it with her tiny little fingers and cried silently into it. "…oww…"

Rin was having a nightmare.

Sesshoumaru looked down at her. What could have possibly made the child cry out tonight of all nights?

He picked the child up in his right arm and placed her in between his legs. She curled up in a ball and hid her face in his chest as he rested his chin atop her head and held her close.

She muttered "Papa," before drifting off back to sleep.

* * *

**Hmm... so... I guess thats the end of this chapter. The third will be up soon. It's written out and stuff... just needs editiong... lots and lots of editing. REVIEW!!! **

**thankies **

**VG**


	3. Rin's Bath

**Disclaimer:** I don't own shit. -.-+

Thank you for the reviews!! At least now I know people ARE reading this... and that makes this Vicious Grin happie :D

This is probably one of the longest chapters, sorry if your little eyes can't handle it. I swear, I kept telling myself to stop, but did I listen?? No. -.-

Anyway, I found out where I got the name Zyanya from. You know that book "Aztec" by Gary Jennings? You bet yer ass you do. Thats where it came from... and it'll make a whole lotta sense later on why I chose HER name later on in the story.

**_ON WITH CHAPTER THREEEEE!!! _**

* * *

**RECAP OF CHAPTER TWOOOOO:  
**He picked the child up in his right arm and placed her in between his legs. She curled up in a ball and hid her face in his chest as he rested his chin atop her head and held her close.

She muttered "Papa," before drifting off back to sleep.

* * *

The sun drifted over the east mountains and gradually lit up the inside of Zyanya's house. Rin felt the warmth against her face and slowly opened her eyelids to find she was back on the mat sleeping next to a snoring Jaken. She hopped up and walked towards the front door.

"Your father went out."

Zyanya was sitting in the other room watching Rin's every move.

Rin panicked. "W-when will he be back?"

"Soon."

Zyanya stared at the child.

_Why is she scared?_

"I'm not going to hurt you." she told her.

Rin wasn't afraid of the demon. In fact, she seemed to really like her. She was more concerned as to whether or not Sesshoumaru brought her here to leave her for good.

"Come," the demon said, walking towards her, "I'll fix you something to eat."

She held out her clawed hand to the tiny child. Rin had completely forgotten the fact that it had been two days since her last real meal and she suddenly felt her stomach let out a low growl. Embarrassed, she took the smiling demon's hand and walked with her to the kitchen.

The lady's hand felt different than Sesshoumaru's, yet somehow similar. Sesshoumaru's hand always felt strong and callused, whereas this hand felt delicate and soft. Rin liked it because of that and the fact that it felt like it really would protect her.

"Do you like dumplings?" Zyanya asked her, breaking Rin away from her focus on her hand.

The child's face brightened up. "Haiiii!!"

Zyanya smiled and handed Rin a plate of several rice dumplings and warm herbal tea.

"The dumplings will help fill your stomach while the tea strengthens your immune system."

Rin was too busy eating to listen to Zyanya, which was alright with her considering the circumstances.

After finishing her meal, Rin asked where Sesshoumaru had gone.

Zyanya remembered hearing him say he was going to relax in the hot springs before she began the long, arduous, process of recreating his arm.

"_Make sure the child is fed and bathed before I come back." _

"Zyanya-sama?" Rin tugged at Zyanya's white yukata. Zyanya looked down at the child. Her big eyes reminded her of a lost puppy.

"He's in the hot springs relaxing right now." she told her. "Which reminds me, you need to take a bath."

Rin's face brightened. A bath at last!

Zyanya walked over to a giant cupboard and slowly opened its doors to reveal hundreds of the most brilliant colored jars Rin had ever seen. They all had different things inside. Some were filled with different herbs, some with different colored liquids, and others looked like severed body parts of animals. Rin chose not to look too close at the latter of the three. Zyanya reached to the very back of the cupboard and pulled out a tiny glass jar with a gooey pink liquid inside. It looked almost metallic.

"Bath soap." she said as she handed the bottle to Rin.

Rin studied the bottle and opened the cap to sniff inside. Her senses rejoiced at the scent and she concluded that it was the single best scent she had ever come across. Zyanya handed the girl a small white yukata and watched her run off laughing before she even had a chance to stop her.

"You're going to be chasing her for at least an hour." croaked a voice from the back.

Jaken walked over to Zyanya and handed her Rin's little kimono before stuffing a dumpling into his mouth.

_Wait…_ Her hair stood on end for a second.

"She ran out _naked?!" _she yelled at the imp.

No sooner had Zyanya run outside when she saw Rin, buck naked, chasing a bright orange and red butterfly around her front yard.

"Zyanya-sama!" the child called, "Look at this butterfly!!"

The demon's face just went pale. She had no experience with children other than healing them. This one was perfectly healthy and running around her front yard, nude.

Finally coming back to her senses, Zyanya called to the child. "Rin! Get back in here and put your yukata on!!"

Rin laughed. "I bet you can't catch me!"

Zyanya ran out after the naked child, arms outstretched, trying to grab her. She proved to be too small for Zyanya to grab and definitely too delicate to stop by force.

She had enough of this. From inside her white robe, she produced a round, blue, orb that fit perfectly in her palm. She cupped it in her hands and recited a silent chant in her head. The orb grew bigger and floated over Rin, trapping her inside.

"Hey! No fair!" the child cried from inside.

"Hush now. It's time for your bath."

And with that, feeling more accomplished, she led the bubble orb to the spring with Rin floating along inside.

From inside the bushes across the yard, a pair of round eyes watched Zyanya walk off with the child, blinked, and disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.

* * *

Sesshoumaru leaned his head back on a giant rock in the hot springs and closed his eyes. He was completely nude, but only his upper chest was exposed as his hair fell along his shoulders and into the water. All he could really think about was what Zyanya had told him the previous night.

"_I was going to turn you away. . . but I overlooked that. . . for the sake of the child."_

_Was it that obvious - his concern for Rin?_

He let out a sigh. "I just want my arm back." he told himself under his breath.

There was a rustle in the bushes. His ears perked up as he heard this, but he paid no mind.

Suddenly, something sprang up from the bushes behind him, but still he paid no mind to it.

"KAZE NO KIZ--"

"Inuyasha," he calmly said, "I have no intention of fighting you today. Especially now that I am trying to relax." He shot a death glare at his half-brother.

Inuyasha landed on a nearby rock and slipped off into the water.

"Sesshoumaru!" he yelled, springing back up, "What are you doing here?!"

"Inuyasha, what does it look like I'm doing?"

The half-demon blinked.

He looked at his brother's bare chest, blinked, looked over at his clothing off to the side, and then back to the demon.

"Don't you have that human girl to take baths with?"

Inuyasha blushed, cursed, and sprung out of the water.

"Thanks to you, I'm going to have to cleanse myself again!"

"Then please do that in another pool of water." Sesshoumaru told him and waved him off.

Before Inuyasha could retort, a high pitched squeal came from the distance.

"_Sesshoumaru-sama!!" _

"_Rin!! GET BACK HERE!!!" _

Rin, now free from her bubble and covered in soap came running towards Sesshoumaru. Zyanya came chasing after her, soaking wet and looking way too distressed for her own good. She saw one quick glance of Inuyasha and quickly went back to her cat form before he even noticed her presence.

Before Sesshoumaru had the chance to react, Rin jumped into the water, splashing him in the face and now looked very similar to Zyanya: soaked and tense.

"…oops…" she said, holding her fingers to her mouth.

Inuyasha smirked. "Ahh! Well, I see you have your human to deal with, _Sesshoumaru-sama!_ I'll leave you two alone."

Just as he turned around, a small white cat, soaking wet, walked up to him. He knew it wasn't Kirara. It was a little bigger than her. . . and it had one tail, and purple eyes.

The cat stared at him.

He hissed at it.

The cat merely tilted it's head and raised an eyebrow. She was teasing him.

"Stupid cat. Show yourself!" he yelled, drawing his Tetsusaiga and aiming it at her head.

"Silly hanyou," Zyanya's voice came from the cat. It's eyes closed and slowly the animal grew bigger into Zyanya's human form. "what are you doing in my village?" she calmly asked.

"To finish my brother while I still can! Now," he chuckled, "if you want your life to be spared, I suggest you leave."

Zyanya smiled at Inuyasha. She produced from her hand a long silver staff with some kind of red jewel wrapped inside the top.

"I asked you once," she told him, slowly opening her purple eyes, "what are you doing in my village?"

Inuyasha grew tense. "I told you! I'm going to finish off my brother!"

"Wrong."

Zyanya's eyes glowed a bright blue and several rays of light came slithering out of her staff where the jewel was wrapped. Each ray seemed to have a set of green eyes. Inuyasha squinted to get a better look. They were snakes!

He jumped away and tried to dodge them, but there were too many. They caught him from behind and he cursed as they wrapped their thin bodies around and bound him to a nearby tree.

"You dare trespass onto my land, disrupt my duties, and threaten my guests and patient?!" she yelled to him.

The snakes wrapped around him tighter, cutting off his airflow and preventing him from making any kind of answer to her.

From the bushes, Zyanya heard a little squeal. Rin was hiding behind a rock while Sesshoumaru had somehow disappeared.

She opened her right hand and pointed it in the direction of the bushes., her claws becoming slightly longer. She twitched her wrist to point her palm to the sky and closed her fist tight. The bush split into thousands of tiny pieces to reveal Kagome and Shippou holding each other in fear.

_A human?_

Zyanya looked into Kagome's glossy eyes. She had a genuine look of fear, but it wasn't for herself nor the tiny fox she carried.

"_Please, don't hurt him. You can do whatever you want to me, just don't hurt him." _

Zyanya's eyes were no longer glowing blue. "Huh?"

She walked towards Kagome and poked her forehead.

"Hey! You! Don't touch the girl!" Inuyasha screamed from the tree.

Zyanya looked back at him, annoyed.

"You really like him, don't you?" she said, turning back around to the frightened girl.

Kagome blushed.

Zyanya closed her eyes and lowered her staff. The snakes unwound Inuyasha and flew back into the staff, leaving the half-demon to fall face first into the ground.

"Hey!" he yelled.

"Shut up, Inuyasha! She spared you!" Shippou yelled back before Inuyasha came charging to beat him.

"Kagome!" the fox demon squealed. He grabbed onto her tighter and buried his face in her arms.

"Who else is hiding?" Zyanya asked.

From a tree in the distance Miroku, Sango, and Kirara walked out, Miroku holding his staff ready to fight.

"Put your staff down, monk. I don't intend to harm any of you."

The three walked forward and bowed to Zyanya.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked.

Zyanya smiled. "I am Zyanya, healer of this village and this forest."

"Zyanya?? The cat youkai?" Miroku gasped. "I've heard stories of you from others around this land! It is an honor to finally be in your presence." He kneeled before her and took her hand to kiss it.

"Uhm. . . thank you." she said, pulling her hand away from his grasp. "Do you travelers need a place to rest?"

They just smiled.

"Go into the village," she pointed, "tell anyone you see there Zyanya sent you. They will lead you to my home. Jaken is there already and he should let you in and give you some of the food I had prepared earlier this morning."

She waved them off and turned towards Rin. The child was shivering behind the rock still, no doubt scared over the events that just took place.

"They're gone now." Zyanya cooed.

Rin slowly emerged from her hiding spot. When she saw Zyanya's face, she cried and jumped into her arms.

"Where did Sesshoumaru go?" she asked the child.

Rin shrugged. "He left too fast."

Zyanya walked back into the village with Rin sleeping soundly in her arms wearing the yukata she provided the child earlier.

_That was an interesting bath. _

From the distance, she could see Inuyasha hitting that poor fox demon they called Shippou over the head. Normally she would do something about it, but she was simply too tired. Chasing Rin around for over an hour and then having to deal with Inuyasha drained too much out of her. She was in no condition to do any kind of healing for the rest of the day. Sesshoumaru's arm would just have to wait until tomorrow.

_Where was he, anyway?_

The others could tell she was extremely tired when she arrived at the house and said nothing while they were in there. She walked slowly into her room, still holding Rin, and slid the door shut.

Kagome walked over and slid her door open a little so she could peek inside.

"She's sleeping with Rin in her arms. Like my mother used to do with me." Kagome was silent a moment. "Miroku? Could you tell me who exactly Zyanya is?"

"Hai," he said. Everyone gathered together and sat as Miroku began his story.

* * *

**And thus marks the end of the longest chapter _ever. _That one took WAY too long to type out... but I'm glad its finally up here. **::mutters::...ten friggin pages...

**Review please!! Tell me what needs to be fixed, what confuses you, who else you wanna see!!! **

**Til then,  
VG**


	4. Zyanya's Story

**Disclaimer:** Do I really need to keep this up???

Yes! Chapter 4 is finally up after going through the editing chamber! I don't post things I don't like. :D

I would like to take this opportunity to thank **Lady Vinicia **for being pretty much my only reviewer so far. :P I really appreciate it!! I promise to post at least one chapter a week, if not two!

ON WITH THE STORY!!

* * *

Kagome walked over and slid her door open a little so she could peek inside. 

"She's sleeping with Rin in her arms. Like my mother used to do with me." Kagome was silent a moment. "Miroku? Could you tell me who exactly Zyanya is?"

"Hai," he said. Everyone gathered together and sat as Miroku began his story.

* * *

"From what I learned in my studies, Zyanya was born a couple hundred years ago. She's close to Sesshoumaru's age, give or take a couple decades, comes from a family of very powerful pureblood youkai, and her great-grandfather, Kisho, was the one who created that silver staff we witnessed earlier." Miroku closed his eyes and was silent for a moment.

"You see, Zyanya's family specialized in all kind of physical and spiritual powers. Healing, fighting, spells, good magic, dark magic, you name it. They were virtually insuperable. All were looked at with great honor and rejoiced greatly upon her birth. It meant a new female to carry on the family's depleting bloodline. Not only that, but she was also very talented and beautiful - not that she isn't now - but with attributes such as those, she was desired by many - youkai and humans alike. Yet her family hardly worried about that. She had no interests in mating with a human, and she rejected all other youkai. Her family decided they would find her a suitable mate, which she looked at with much distaste.

"As the years progressed, Zyanya decided she was going to specialize in healing and only use her other skills when she felt they were absolutely necessary. Her family thought that to be a lowly profession set aside for humans, but what really infuriated them was the fact that she had secretly bound herself to a mate and had his seed implanted in her. They looked for marks all over her body to see who had claimed her, but they found no such thing. Some believed she used one of her healing potions to get rid of the mark, but no one is certain.

"They all considered taking her cobra staff, but since she was the only pureblood who could wield it without getting harmed, it was to remain hers. Anyone else who tried removing it from her possession received a slow, painful and irreversible death. No potions or spells could counter it, so to her clan, it is now considered the Lost Cobra Staff.

"Months later, her child was born. It was considered an abomination and only lived long enough to take a few breaths of air."

Kagome interrupted. "It died soon after??"

Miroku nodded his head. "Killed."

Both Sango and Kagome gasped. Only another woman would understand the pain Zyanya felt.

"She never saw the child, never determined it's sex, or even knew what they did with the body. I don't think she even remembers, seeing how they put a powerful spell on her, making her forget who the father was and all the events that took place between them. Unfortunately, that was a bad move on their part, for when they saw the child, they knew which clan the father came from. They ordered the men of that clan to come forward and identify himself. Naturally, no one did. This only angered her clan and became the start of the dog and cat youkai war."

Both Inuyasha and Kagome gasped.

_She WAS a cat youkai! Why hadn't they seen it before?? _

"Is she the last of her kind?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hai." replied the monk.

_That's why I couldn't recognize her scent! I had never encountered a cat youkai before._

"Most of her kind were destroyed. The rest all died off or somehow disappeared. Her parents altered her memory and sent her into exile. She's been long sought after by many, still. This small village would be the last place anyone would even consider looking."

Inuyasha and the others had only found this spot after following Sesshoumaru's scent. _How had he known about it?_

"I'm surprised Naraku never got to her." Inuyasha said.

"He could never seem to find her." Miroku told him, "Remember, she's a cat youkai. She can easily disguise her identity."

"Did they ever find out who the child's father was?" Kagome asked Miroku.

He sighed and shook his head. "Alas, no. But it is said that the child was very powerful. Three youkai died while trying to kill it. Apparently it had developed telekinetic powers in the womb."

Everyone was silent. A child like that could have certainly helped them track down and destroy Naraku much faster than it had taken them.

Kagome looked back into Zyanya's room. She and Rin were still sleeping; both looked content. Zyanya looked as if she were holding Rin like she would her own daughter. A sudden realization slapped Kagome across the face. She wondered if anyone else thought the same thing, but they all seemed to be lost in their own world. It was impossible for her to tell.

A shadow appeared at the doorway. Everyone turned their heads in that direction to see Sesshoumaru standing there, his expression as cold as ever upon seeing his half-brother.

"She wasn't kidding when she said it would be a painful week." he muttered under his breath.

Inuyasha caught this and glared at the demon.

"Rin is with Zyanya in her room right now." Kagome said, breaking the silence between the group. "They're resting."

He walked over to the door and slid it open. Inside, he saw the cat demon and Rin sleeping together peacefully and went in, despite Kagome's silent protest."

He walked over and knelt by Zyanya. She looked pretty content as she slept with Rin in her arms. He stroked the woman's cheek to wake her up. Her eyes stirred and she turned her pale head to get a better look at the demon.

"I… I took care of her as you said." she mumbled, embarrassed. He must have thought they looked odd together.

"Thank you." he told her, "Sleep as long as you need to. I will return with some proper food for you and your other guests later on tonight."

Rin opened her eyes and saw Sesshoumaru. She squeaked with joy upon seeing her lord and hugged him as tight as her tiny arms would allow.

"I thought you left me forever!" she cried.

Sesshoumaru held her. "You know I come back, Rin."

By now the child was crying with giant tears falling down her cheeks, one after the other. Zyanya tried not to show it, but her sensitive ears couldn't take the noise.

"Rin," he shushed her, "why don't you come with me to get some food. Zyanya needs a lot of rest after dealing with Inuyasha, don't you think?"

The child nodded and walked out with him. She noticed he was letting her get away with a lot lately. Zyanya fell back onto her mat and felt sleep overcome her once more.

* * *

As Sesshoumaru walked out with Rin, in the other room, Inuyasha was arguing with Kagome over the last cup of Ramen. 

"You can always go home and get more!" he yelled, trying to pull it back.

"But I'm hungry now! For all I know, I'm probably eating for two!" she blurted out. She gasped, covered her mouth, and turned red.

Inuyasha dropped the bowl of noodles. _This would explain why she's been more grumpy than usual._

"Are you sure?" he asked, tilting his head to get a better look in her eyes.

"No." she told him, "After hearing Miroku's story, I was hoping we could stay a little longer so I could ask her. . ." That wasn't the whole truth and Inuyasha sensed it.

"She wants to get rid of it." Sesshoumaru's voice came from the door.

"I-is this true, Kagome?" Inuyasha was scared now. He didn't want his own possible child to die - for whatever reason Kagome had for not wanting it.

Two tears fell from Kagome's cheeks. She fell to her knees with her hands covering her face. Inuyasha knelt by her side and held her as she cried and buried her face in his arms.

"Kagome?"

"I - I don't know." She cried in between sobs. "I was going to tell you, I swear I was, but having a child come into the world this way was not what I wanted."

"Well, what'd you expect?" he exclaimed, "I bit you already!"

Kagome gasped and pushed him away.

"Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru growled.

Inuyasha stood up and glared at Sesshoumaru's eyes.

"Come with me to gather more food." Having said that, the demon walked out with Inuyasha, confused more than anything, following.

* * *

"Inuyasha, why do you think that girl would want her own child killed?" 

Inuyasha looked up at Sesshoumaru. "Why are you not trying to kill me?"

"Just answer the question."

Inuyasha shrugged. "I've already claimed her as mine. She's just being stupid."

"Baka!" Sesshoumaru hissed and hit him over the head with a clenched fist.

_There it was. _

"She's a human you idiot. Do you think they claim one another by biting each other?"

Inuyasha was silent.

"Give her a piece of jewelry. Something she can hold and see."

Inuyasha's face was blank. Sesshoumaru looked back at his brother quizzically.

He looked over at Rin then pointed at his brother and yelled, "You claimed that human girl, didn't you?!"

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and turned back around. "No, Inuyasha. Stop coming up with nonsense and help me find something edible."

Rin was off in the distance playing in a small patch of flowers. Inuyasha looked over at her and figured his brother was telling the truth since the child smelt only of Zyanya and his brother - like two parents.

* * *

**Whoo! I really enjoyed writing this chapter. :**

**Until next time,  
-VG-**


	5. Making Up

**YES! **Chapter 5 is up! Once again, I thank you for the reviews. Even if I didn't get any, I'd still finish this story. I hate leaving things incomplete. Pet peeve. mhmm.

Right now, I'm working on another story as well. Unlike this one, its actually based on a true event in my life. (for the most part.) I decided to make it an Inuyasha fiction too 'cause some of the characters actually _match_ the descriptions I have for them in the story... even though they may be a bit OOC. The only painful difference is that the story I'm writing has a happy ending. :P I'll post it as soon as I feel the first chapter is good enough.

**Disclaimer:** Yadda yadda yadda, don't own, blah blah blah -.-+

* * *

Rin was off in the distance playing in a small patch of flowers. Inuyasha looked over at her and figured his brother was telling the truth since the child smelt only of Zyanya and his brother - like two parents.

* * *

Zyanya woke from her slumber to the smell of freshly prepared food from her kitchen. Something she had rarely any time for. She walked out to find everyone enjoying a vegetable stew with some kind of shredded chicken pieces cooked with it. Her senses tingled upon inhaling the delightful smell. 

"This is almost as good as ramen, Kagome!" Inuyasha exclaimed. Kagome blushed.

The group was noisily eating away while Sesshoumaru sat off in a distant corner of the living room. He looked as if he were eating alone, but in actuality, he was just observing the whole scene. The way the human girl was able to almost forgive his idiot hanyou brother so easily intrigued him. Maybe she wasn't as intelligent as he thought.

_In that case, they're perfect for each other. _

Zyanya walked over and sat by Sesshoumaru. "Thank you."

He broke out of his thoughts. "It's the least I can do to repay you. Normally Jaken deals with Rin."

"Zyanya-sama?" a small voice squeaked.

She looked over to see Rin holding up a bowl of Kagome's stew to her.

"Thank you." She smiled and took the bowl from her.

Rin giggled and cuddled up on Zyanya's lap, closing her eyes to take a nap. Sesshoumaru looked over.

"She's really taken a liking to you."

She sighed. "So it would seem."

He placed his hand on her knee. "What's wrong?"

Zyanya looked at him and then down at her small bowl of soup. It was starting to cool down.

"I… don't think I was ever meant to really care for kids. I mean, I can heal their illnesses and whatnot… but I can't _care_ for them. It seems that motherly instinct fails to kick in for my family." She mentally slapped herself for saying that out loud.

_You idiot! That's a sign of weakness!! _

Sesshoumaru noticed her eyes go from tired to intense at that moment.

"I saw you do more than that today."

In the other room, Kagome nudged Sango and looked over at one of Sesshoumaru's rare intimate moments with… well, anyone. Inuyasha looked over too and his jaw dropped. Miroku was too busy arguing with Shippou over the last bowl of stew to notice anything.

"But I'm a growing kid! I NEED it!!!" the fox demon cried.

"Like hell you are!" Miroku yelled, trying to push him away.

"A dog and cat youkai. . ." Sango whispered.

"Keh," Inuyasha interrupted, "looks pretty gross to me."

Kagome's face got hot. "That's exactly what started that war!" She shouted and ran out of the dwelling.

Zyanya and Sesshoumaru stopped their conversation and looked up at Inuyasha. Neither one aware of the events that happened in the other room.

"What happened to the girl?" she asked the half-demon.

He simply replied her saying, "She left."

Sesshoumaru glared at him. "Why?"

"Because she's pregnant." Zyanya stated to no one in particular and looked down to play with Rin's hair.

Miroku and Shippou stopped arguing and became silent.

"Are you sure?" the monk asked.

A small smile twitched on the woman's face. "Dear Monk, you seem to have forgotten who I am."

Miroku looked down in shame.

"Now," she said standing up, "if you are all planning to stay the night with my other guests, there are a couple extra rooms in the back with several more mats. I'm sure you will all find a sufficient amount of toiletries and such according to your needs as well. Feel free to wander around the premises, just don't do anything stupid." She glared at Inuyasha as she said those last words. Looking over everyone one more time, she bowed and walked out the front door and headed for the hot springs to cleanse herself.

* * *

Kagome hid behind a tree in the distance, debating as to whether or not she should approach the bathing Zyanya. 

The demon closed her eyes. "What is it, human?"

Kagome blushed and stepped forward.

"I don't take kindly to those who peek."

"I-I'm sorry to disturb you," Kagome said fidgeting with her hands, "but I need to ask you something."

"It's a boy, and no, I will not take his life for you."

"But why not?!" Kagome shouted, "Inuyasha and I are in no way prepared to take care of a newborn child. It is too dangerous an-" She was cut off by a wave of Zyanya's hand.

"Naraku is gone. This is about as best a time as ever to produce children. There's always going to be danger, no matter how much you may try to shield your offspring from it. Thinking you can is futile." She paused sensing Kagome's uneasiness. "That fox youkai is no older than Lord Sesshoumaru's Rin. You've kept him alive and well cared for, have you not?"

Kagome looked down and nodded her head.

"That monk told you my story, correct?"

Kagome looked up and nodded again.

"Then you understand why I cannot take the life of a child. Yes, my family really did alter my memory. I do not know why, nor do I care to know. One minute they were discussing my proposed marriage, the next, I had a round belly just days away from giving birth. They erased whoever the child's father was from my memory and whatever it was we did. The second that child emerged from my womb, they took it away. I never saw it, never heard it cry, nothing. I would give anything to receive my memory back, to at least know whether it was a girl or boy. . . maybe then I could give it an appropriate name according to it's father. Do you understand, Kagome? I refuse to take the life of any child."

The girl nodded. "Do you think Inuyasha cares enough to help me raise it?"

Just as she said that, Inuyasha's voice echoed from the trees.

"Go." the demon said, "Let me bathe in peace now."

For Zyanya, bathing in peace proved to be near impossible. She kept thinking about her conversation with Kagome and occasionally Sesshoumaru's image flickered in her mind. His face looked so familiar, yet not. There was no doubt she grew fond of him, whether it be a friendly or romantic fondness, she didn't know. She knew she enjoyed his presence - especially Rin's. the child's curiosity and astonishment for everything intrigued Zyanya. Such emotions were almost a rarity to her.

She broke away from her thoughts and shook her head in disgust.

"Ugh, stupid humans."

* * *

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes."

Inuyasha couldn't have been more happy. Kagome had agreed to have the baby, though she wouldn't say why she changed her mind so fast. That didn't matter. He was going to be a father and he wanted to make sure that kid had the best life possible, despite the fact that it already came close to being killed.

"C'mon Kagome, lets go back to the house. Walking around could be bad for the baby." He lifted the girl up bridal style.

Inuyasha seemed to care more than she thought. Maybe deciding to have the baby was a good decision after all. She looked up at his face. The sun seemed to make his eyes glisten more than they normally did. This made her blush a bit. He didn't notice this. What he did notice was when Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and locked her lips to his.

He stopped running and came to a sudden halt. Her feet touched the floor as he let his hands explore her hips and back. The two softy fell to the ground in each others embrace. Inuyasha quickly sat up and straddled Kagome's waist.

"You already have a kid in there."

She grabbed his haori by the neck and pulled him back down on her, whispering in his ear, "It doesn't mean we can't have fun right now." She flicked her tongue on his ear.

He felt his insides shiver as she did that. Burying his face in her neck, he placed several hot kisses trailing down from under her chin to her collarbone.

At the same time, Miroku and Shippou came running out searching for the two lovers. Shippou spotted them in a clearing by some trees.

"Oh no!! He's eating her!!!! Miroku!"

Miroku came running over to Shippou and froze as he saw Inuyasha's hand find its way up Kagome's blouse.

"No wonder she doesn't want her baby! She's begging for him to stop!" the little demon hissed, "INU-"

But he was cut off by Miroku slapping his eyes and mouth shut.

"This is not for little kids to see."

"But!"

Inuyasha's ear twitched. He heard Shippou's annoying voice and sat up. He turned his head toward Miroku and Shippou and saw Miroku staring at the two, wide eyed, while holding his hand over a struggling Shippou's eyes. Kagome's face went scarlet red as soon as she saw the monk and got out from under Inuyasha.

"Made up already?" he said to them as soon as it was safe to walk forward.

"She's keeping the child." Inuyasha said proudly. :

"That's wonderful news!"

Shippou's eyes went wide. He walked over to Kagome and brushed against her leg. She looked down at him.

"Am I being replaced?" he quietly asked her.

"Oh Shippou… of course not! I'm hoping you'll be like a big brother to my child as soon as it is born."

The fox's eyes watered up. "Oh thank God! I thought you were going to leave me." He cried and jumped into the girl's arms.

"Never." she said as she nuzzled her face into his.

Inuyasha interrupted their little moment. "So what do you guys want?"

Kagome could tell her was annoyed and giggled to herself.

"Well," Miroku began, "Zyanya's home… it's a lot bigger than we thought."

"It's a mansion!" Shippou said, excited.

"So?!"

"Come Inuyasha! You have to see it."

They both pulled Inuyasha and Kagome off towards their new found discovery.

* * *

"Sango, are you here?" Miroku called upon their arrival. 

"Behind the wall!" she yelled.

_Behind the wall?_

Miroku had a playful grin on his face and pushed a section of the wall in what the couple thought was just the back to the home. No sooner had he done that did the wall disappear to reveal the inside of a giant mansion. Of course, to them, anything after spending a day in Zyanya's home was considered a mansion.

"It's beautiful." Kagome said in awe.

"These were the back rooms Zyanya was talking about." a voice came.

The group looked down to see Sango playing a game of chess with Sesshoumaru's imp, Jaken.

"There's room for me, Shippou, Miroku, you two, and of course Sesshoumaru's group." she told them, keeping her eyes focused on the game.

Shippou went skipping off to his room. A bed and clothing were already laid out for him. "A nice comfy bed!" he shouted. "No hard floors!"

Kagome laughed. She looked over at Inuyasha. He was looking through the doorframe to what appeared to be their room. There was a single bed with a yellow baby's blanket on it.

"You think she knew?" he asked her, holding the blanket up. It had a golden koi fish print on it.

"She's very powerful." Kagome shrugged.

A devilish grin spread across Inuyasha's face as he dropped the blanket and slid the bedroom door shut. Kagome smiled and held him in her arms in another embrace. From the other room, Shippou could hear Kagome calling Inuyasha's name like she had in the forest.

"Aaah!" he screamed, "He's eating her again!!!"

* * *

**Hehe. Limey goodness. I felt a BIT dirty writing it, but I know other people write a lot more than what I did... and I have to prepare for the big one! hahahaha Theres at least two more I think. **

**Anyway, this was more like a filler with a bit of comic relief... 'cause... I don't know, I thought it'd be funny. **

**Be sure to look out for my other story in the next couple weeks! I'm kind of scared to post something from my reality, but I thought it'd make a good story. **

**-VG-**


	6. Sesshoumaru the Idiot

**YAY!!** The uploading thingamabober is working again!! I was getting pretty frustrated with it not uploading anything for a while... so in my frustration, I wrote all of part 1 of this story out. (Of course, I'll only post chapter by chapter.) As promised, I will post two tonight because the origional plan was to have lemony chapter 8 up by tonight.

**So, without any further ado, chapter SIX!!...**

**DISCLAIMER:** yadda yadda yadda. SHUT UP! -.-+

* * *

_A devilish grin spread across Inuyasha's face as he dropped the blanket and slid the bedroom door shut. Kagome smiled and held him in her arms in another embrace. From the other room, Shippou could hear Kagome calling Inuyasha's name like she had in the forest._

_"Aaah!" he screamed, "He's eating her again!!!"_

* * *

Everyone gathered in the main room the next morning, happily eating and chatting away with one another. Rin was playing with a few small corn husk dolls Zyanya had made for her to keep her busy while the demon worked on rebuilding Sesshoumaru's arm. He watched from a distance as she gathered all the necessary ingredients from her giant cupboard. Her slender figure looked so delicate in the white yukata she wore. He had to fight himself to suppress his urge to grab her by the waist and hold her in his arm. It wasn't like him to feel that way. Not at all. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin came crying to him.

Breaking away from those thoughts, he looked down at the crying girl. She looked as if someone had thrown dirt and scratched at her face. Scanning his eyes around, he immediately thought Inuyasha.

"That cat." She pointed opposite Zyanya's direction. "It jumped on me and scratched my kimono." She held up her left arm to show him a small tear on her clothing.

He looked over at Zyanya, who was still searching for ingredients, and back at said cat. It wasn't the cat-demon, and it had no evil aura, but somehow it seemed connected to the woman.

"Zyanya, who is this cat?"

She stopped her search for ingredients in the never ending cupboard to look around at a small grey kitten with a white left ear.

"Oh, that's Aiko." She knelt down and held out her hand. The kitten came running up and pressed it's head against her hand. "She's a neighborhood kitten that visits every so often."

She stopped petting it and studied its face. "Rin, go ahead and pour some milk in a bowl for her. I promise she wont scratch you again."

Rin held her face and whimpered a bit. It was starting to sting, but she obeyed the woman.

The kitten looked at Sesshoumaru and then at Zyanya, who looked pretty angry.

"Aiko!" she sternly called, "That was a naughty thing you did to Rin."

The kitten walked toward Sesshoumaru and looked at him as if it expected him to say something in its defense. Rin jumped on Sesshoumaru's lap and held the bowl in front of Aiko.

"Place it on the floor, Rin." Zyanya told her.

Rin obeyed.

Aiko walked cautiously up to the bowl, sniffed it, then began to drink happily. Sesshoumaru placed his hand on Rin's back as she watched the kitten drink. Seeing this from the corner of her eye, Aiko looked up at Rin then ran off.

"She's a strange one." Zyanya said, sitting next to Sesshoumaru. "Please forgive Aiko, Rin. She takes a while to warm up to other girls."

Rin gave Zyanya an innocent smile the cat-demon came to enjoy watching. She dabbed at the child's dirty face with a warm cloth.

"These scratches will heal fast. Don't worry. But as for Sesshoumaru. . . " she smiled.

He looked at her.

"It's going to be a long week." she finished.

_Sadist. _

He closed his eyes as she placed wet bandages on what remained of his left arm. It stung, but wasn't unbearable. Zyanya eyed him. With her thumb and index claws, she pinched a tender area of his left arm. He quickly opened his eyes and hissed at her. She laughed.

"Just making sure it's working."

Sesshoumaru growled at her. Anyone else who dared try a stunt like that would have surely lost their life by now, but Zyanya was the only one who could help him at this point, so he let it go.

"What did you mix with that?" he asked her, motioning over to the green liquid filled bowl she soaked the bandages in.

"Oh, its all just natural stuff from around this area. Some herbs from out front, citric juices, cobra venom…"

"Cobra venom?"

"Yeah, you know… like from the snake?"

Sesshoumaru eyed her and rested his head on the wall. He didn't feel like questioning her or the ingredients she used anymore. Rin looked at her master and ran off. A few minutes later she came running up to him, holding a big pink pillow.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Look what I brought for you! It came from my room."

Sesshoumaru looked down to see Rin with a huge smile, holding up a giant pillow covered in what appeared to be a daisy design. Zyanya smirked and laughed silently to herself.

"Thank you, Rin." he muttered as she placed it behind his back. "Tell me, when was the last time you had a clean kimono?"

Rin shrugged. "Umm… iono."

"I think its been too long." he told her. "Why look! Yours has a hole in it… and those dirt stains simply will not do. I'm afraid I can't have you travel with me looking like that."

He was joking with the child.

She panicked and cried. "What do I do?! Please don't leave without me! I can trade my gold bracelet for one tomorrow!! Just please don't leave Rin!!!"

He shook his head. "No, no, no. I will not allow you to trade that bracelet for anything. That was my gift to you. Later on today, Jaken will go with you into town and buy you anything you need. Don't disappoint me."

_Besides, that bracelet is worth way more than a simple kimono. _

Rin's face flushed with relief and then exhilaration. She jumped on the demon and hugged him.

"Oh thank you papa-san!" She kissed his cheek and went running off screaming for Jaken.

"Papa-san?" Inuyasha had a smirk on his face.

"She's been around long enough." he simply replied.

Zyanya interrupted the two. "The bandages are all set. Remember: _NO MOVING AROUND. _And Inuyasha," she said, glaring at him, "don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, ma'am." he replied, saluting her.

"Sesshoumaru, I could take Rin to buy her some new clothing. Its no problem." She stood up.

He closed his eyes again. "If you want."

"I do." she said softly and walked off.

* * *

Kagome and the others went outside for a walk while Inuyasha stayed behind. Zyanya was getting Rin ready to follow along. The child was so excited, she could hardly keep still. 

"Jaken." Sesshoumaru ordered.

The imp came scampering up to Sesshoumaru. A bag of gold coins were thrown to his head with the instructions to let Rin do the shopping.

"And Jaken, Zyanya is to accompany you two."

Jaken bowed and left with Rin skipping alongside Zyanya's cat form.

Sesshoumaru watched from the door as the three left the house toward the village.

Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore.

"So you've finally come to love a human?"

"At least I didn't sleep with her to create an abomination like you." he shot back.

Inuyasha gave him a dirty look. "At least I didn't start one of the longest wars in the past 50 years!"

Sesshoumaru felt his blood boil.

"Oh, don't act surprised. I've seen the way you look at that cat, and after I had to listen to her life story, it wasn't that hard to put two and two together." He paused. "Isn't that why you came here?"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes.

"Does she know?"

"Inuyasha, do you think she'd be helping me like this if she knew the father to her murdered child finally came back? She remembers nothing."

"Are you going to tell her?"

"No, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked down and frowned. "And after that talk you gave me. For a second I thought you really were better than me at being a man."

"You're still an idiot."

"Not as big a one as you are." He stood up and walked outside, leaving Sesshoumaru completely alone.

* * *

**Ok, so this was kind of a small chapter... but oh well. The next one is pretty long... I think. yeah... it looks like it. **

**hehehe Rin called him papa-san. I don't know what I was thinking writing that, but it sounded cute at the time. **

**Next up:  
Chapter 7. duhhhh **

**-VG-**


	7. I'm Not Leaving Youuuu!

oooOOOOooooOOOOOoooo we're getting close!! But not quite.

Heres numba 7! If you're the emotional type, don't cry! (although I hardly see any reason too... but I did feel a little depressed writing it out... and then 'OOOoooooOOOOOooooo SHES GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!!!) ok, not really. Just enjoy! I got nothing else.

**I'M DONE WITH THE DISCLAIMERS! IT SHOULD BE PRETTY OBVIOUS I OWN NOTHING!! **  
_I only have a dollar... YOU WANT THAT TOO?!! _

* * *

_"Does she know?"_

_"Inuyasha, do you think she'd be helping me like this if she knew the father to her murdered child finally came back? She remembers nothing."_

_"Are you going to tell her?"_

_"No, Inuyasha."_

_Inuyasha looked down and frowned. "And after that talk you gave me. For a second I thought you really were better than me at being a man."_

_"You're still an idiot."_

_"Not as big a one as you are." He stood up and walked outside, leaving Sesshoumaru completely alone._

* * *

The week slowly passed and Sesshoumaru finally had a new left arm. Throughout that time, the others paid little mind to him while Inuyasha shot him death glares as often as he could. Sesshoumaru could have cared less. It would take a while for him to be able to fully control the arm to his liking, but he was content knowing he now had both arms to hug Rin with. He felt he owed it to the child. 

She bought three beautiful new kimonos with the coins Jaken had, along with Zyanya's guidance. One was dark blue with crescent moons scattered about, another was orange with green bubbles, similar to the one she previously owned, and the third was white with a light blue collar. She liked that one the best, as did Zyanya.

Sesshoumaru knew she had bought something else, though she wouldn't tell him. He didn't mind. It couldn't have been to big for her to sneak past him in the first place.

"Rin," he said, "gather your things together. We are going home."

Rin looked up from her corn husk dolls. Zyanya had shown her how to make them, and the child now had a growing collection.

"Why?" she asked, wide eyed.

"We are done here." was all he said.

"Is Zyanya-sama coming with us?"

"No. She belongs here."

"But… she…"

"Would you rather remain here with her?" His voice scared the child. Never had he talked to her in that tone.

Rin was silent.

"Sesshoumaru." he heard Inuyasha's growled voice come from the doorway. "You know she can't make that choice. Tell the woman now!"

_Taking orders from an abomination. Wow. _

Zyanya, confused, looked quizzically up at Sesshoumaru and raised an eyebrow, but her expression quickly changed. A feeling of terror swept through her body. Two seconds later, a loud crash came from the front yard, causing everyone to jump.

"What was that?" Sango asked.

Zyanya ran outside. Several trees had been pulled from their roots and were now scattered about.

"Those trees were older than me!" she screamed out loud.

The others ran out behind her.

"What kind of youkai could have done this?" Miroku gasped.

Zyanya closed her eyes and scanned the area. _The village was fine. Nothing was coming from the lake. Underground-_

She abruptly opened her eyes. They were now glowing red.

"Everyone inside!" she screamed.

She pulled out her staff, but as she did so, a long dirt covered vine came bursting from under the ground, aimed to strike her down. Sesshoumaru, knowing she wouldn't be able to defend herself in time, ran over and stood before the woman with Toukijin in hand. As the vine came crashing down, the sword acted as a shield and protected the two demons.

"Quickly," he said, "join the others inside."

Zyanya nodded and ran back into her home.

Sesshoumaru used his poison covered fingernails to cut the vine and ran back inside to join her.

The woman was in a state of shock.

_They found me. I'm no longer safe here. . . and neither are they. . . _

"You all must leave this place. Now!" she yelled.

"She's right Inuyasha." Miroku said. "That thing is sure to come back."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh. We can kill it."

"No. You can't." Zyanya told him. "It is an earth-youkai. No matter what happens to it, it comes back. In this case, for me."

"Earth?" Miroku cut in. "But those are normally peaceful youkai."

"Not when I am found." she said, "After sending me into exile, other members from my clan made a pact with the earth-youkai, that if they ever found me, to kill me. They convinced them the whole war was because of me… and it probably was."

"But that was for territory!" Sesshoumaru hissed. He had never gotten this angry before.

"You of all people should know how easy it is to lie." she coldly said, looking up at him.

Before Sesshoumaru could question what she said, her eyes went red again as she froze.

"Its coming back." she whispered.

Shippou and Rin began to cry.

"We are leaving. Grab what you need." Sesshoumaru ordered. "You too, Zyanya."

"You don't understand! You'll all die if I stay with you."

"Hardly."

Kirara transformed into her bigger self and held all of Inuyasha's gang on her back.

Sesshoumaru told Rin and Jaken to go with them.

"Keep out of danger."

Inuyasha nodded. Rin cried.

"Don't leave me, sama!!" She clung to him as tightly as she could.

He pulled her away and handed her to Inuyasha. "Rin, you know I will come back for you. Just stay with Inuyasha."

"Sesshoumaru. Go with them. I can handle this on my own."

The demon grabbed Zyanya by the shoulders and looked her in the eye.

"I'm not leaving you." he said.

There was a low rumble in the ground underneath them. Sesshoumaru looked behind him.

"Damnit, Inuyasha. Take them out of here!" he yelled.

Inuyasha looked at Sango and nodded.

"Lets go Kirara!" she yelled, and the cat was off.

"Why are you still here?!" Zyanya hissed. "You're going to be killed!"

Sesshoumaru grabbed her elbow. "Because I refuse to leave you again!"

She went silent for a moment. "You? You -"

"Zyanya, move!" he yelled as she shoved her out of the way.

Another vine burst out and came crashing down as he sliced it away with his sword. Zyanya jumped up out of the way, closed her eyes and whispered a binding chant. The demon froze and began twitching until it was torn into billions of little pieces.

"At least three more will be here within fifteen minutes." she said as she came back to the ground to face Sesshoumaru.

"Grab what you need. We are going."

The other three certainly had come, drawn by the scent of their fallen companion, but Zyanya was far enough where they wouldn't have been able to pick up her scent. They were ugly things. To her, they looked like deformed potatoes with ugly roots. She watched in horror as they engulfed her entire home in their giant bodies - reducing it to shattered pieced of wood and memories. Sesshoumaru placed his hands on her shoulders from behind.

"Why?" she whispered as a single tear trickled down her cheek, "After all these years…"

"Zyanya, you knew it wouldn't be easy to track you down… I know you."

She didn't seem to hear him.

"…two homes…gone…my life…"

There was something off in the distance. Zyanya narrowed her eyes.

"AIKO!"

Zyanya ran up to the kitten and immediately closed her eyes upon seeing its limp body. It was dead, no doubt crushed by one of the demons. The woman knelt down and wept before it.

"…Aiko…"

Sesshoumaru stood by the kneeling woman.

"It was a girl." he said.

"Aiko?…"

"No. Our child."

* * *

_**'Sesshoumaru. Go with them. I can handle this on my own.'  
**_**hahaha stupid lady. when is she going to learn stubborn lil' sesshy is never going to leave?? **

**DID I LEAVE YOU WITH A CLIFFY?? 'CAUSE THAT'D BE AWESOME!! if not, i understand... ::cries::**

**Ok, since there's some new names here, I'll leave you with their translations:**

**Aiko - little beloved one  
(yeah, I do my research! beeyotch)**

**SEE YA NEXT WEEK! _LEMONY GOODNESS AWAITS!!! _**

**-VG-**


	8. I Don't Want to Get Married

_Zyanya was a beauty beyond compare. She had light skin, big boobs, and a nice round ass. XDDD_

Hahaha, I couldn't help myself. That was her description in the book... of course it made her sound like some kind of goddess... whereas I make her sound... yeah. hahaha

Heres your lemon folks! You know that was the reason you started reading this story anyway!! C'monnnn don't be afraid, RAISE YOUR HANDS AND TELL THE TRUTH!!! DON'T HIDE YOUR SHAME!!

Amanda - I know this is what you were waiting for!!! haha The cat died because it hurt Rin. Karma's a bitch, you know? Don't worry, I'll add another furry woodland creature in there somewhere.

:P

* * *

_"It was a girl." he said._

_"Aiko?…"_

_"No. Our child."_

_

* * *

Zyanya Masahiro was the daughter of the cat-youkai clan leader of the East. Her family already had a grudge against the Inu-youkai of the West, and forbade Zyanya from ever allowing any of those suitors near her - not that any wanted to. _

"_You ARE a pureblood." her father said as the family gathered by the fireplace in their large mansion. "You will wed with one of ours and keep our bloodline flowing." _

_She didn't care. She had no interest in anyone, anyway. But that particular night, everything would change. _

_She walked out to the back garden towards the small lake in the center of the yard. She loved to just sit by it and stare into the moon's reflection as she thought silently to herself almost every night. _

'_I don't want to get married.' _

_Suddenly the moon was blocked out by a large shadow behind her. She quickly turned around. _

"_Sesshoumaru!" she gasped, "You startled me." _

_He smiled at her. _

_It wasn't much of a smile, but she liked it anyway. She was probably the only one who could differentiate a smile from a scowl on the demon. _

_The two were childhood acquaintances that saw each other every time their two families had organized meetings together. That was once about every two months. Their last meeting was fiftyyears ago, when Zyanya's father wanted total control over part of the Western Mountains, which harbored the main river and trade route between lands. Sesshoumaru's father had wisely said no, which unfortunately upset her power-hungry father. _

"_I missed you! Its so good to see you again!" she cried as she hugged his neck. _

"_You, too." he replied, sniffing her from her hair to her neck. _

_She looked up and playfully hit his shoulder. "You dog!" _

"_You and I both know there's nothing I can do to change that." he joked. _

"_Ha-ha-ha. Shut up." She stuck her tongue out at him. _

"_Very ladylike, Zyanya."_

"_I know." she smugly smiled. _

"_Hey," he said, "I want to show you something." _

"_What?" She looked over at his hand. _

"_I figured out how to do this with Dokkasou." he told her, looking down and concentrating on his left hand. _

_From his nails, he produced a green, glowing, transparent rose. _

"_I'd give it to you, but its loaded with poison." he said, "I accidentally killed a little grey cat with this yesterday." _

"_Did you bury it?" _

"_Under my mother's sakura tree."_

"_Put 'Kichi' on it's grave." she told him. _

"_Fortunate?" be laughed. _

"_Yep." she said as she took the rose from his hand. Her nails glowed blue along with the rose and it turned to ice. _

"_I forgot you could do that." he said. _

"_Yeah…in a few minutes the ice will melt and it'll be a real rose." _

"_You always find a way to fix everything I do." he laughed again. _

"_You know you love me." she joked and smiled. _

_He lowered his voice. "I do." he whispered into her ear. _

_Zyanya caught this and looked up at him. He looked down into her sparkling purple eyes. _

"_I do, too." she said. _

_A wave of passion hit him as he bent down to kiss her soft lips. At first she was surprised that he would carry out such an action, but something told her that it felt right, so she didn't protest. She felt completely comfortable with him and melted in his arms as he wrapped them around her tiny waist. He let his hands explore her body around her hips and up to her neck. She clutched onto his shoulders and let out a few soft moans as he began to kiss her from her neck down to her collarbone. _

"_Zyanya?" her mother's voice came form the distance. _

"_Shit." she hissed as she pulled away. "We can't do this here." _

"_Hai, mamma?" she called back. _

"_Zyanya, come inside soon. Your father and I are going to bed." her mother yelled back. _

"_Ok! I'll be in soon." _

"_You liar." Sesshoumaru growled as he nipped at her ear. _

"_She can't tell." Zyanya smirked. She placed her lips on his again and they held each other in another embrace. Their tongues touched as the both ferociously began exploring the inside of each other's mouth. _

"_Follow me." she whispered into his mouth in between strained breaths. She let herself free from his hold and ran behind the large brush. He followed her, curious as to where she was leading him. She placed her index finger softly to her lip in a motion to let him know to stay quiet. _

"_This leads to the hot springs beyond the mansion's walls." she whispered, pointing to an opening that led to a small trail. _

"_Perfect." he smiled. _

_At the springs, they slowly removed each other's clothing, taking in every inch of the other's body. As they kissed, Sesshoumaru let his claws softly glide from Zyanya's inner thigh up to her waist, where he held her delicate body in his hands before cupping them around her breasts. Her nipples grew hard at his touch and she moaned as he began nipping at her collar bone. He softly laid her down on his spread haori and carefully placed his body on top of hers. The last thing he wanted was to crush her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and opened her legs for him. He let his hard arousal tease her wet opening, though it was hurting him much more. _

"_Sesshoumaru…" she moaned, practically begging. _

_She bucked her hips up against his. She wanted him and, and she wanted him now. _

"_Zyanya." he whispered, burying his face in her neck. _

_He gave her soft kisses going up to her forehead. She felt his organ on her stomach. He stopped kissing her and looked down into her purple eyes. They were outlined with a soft, red, passion. He smirked at her, and before she had a chance to react, he thrust his hips into hers, pushing himself in as far as he could possibly go, tearing into her virgin folds as he did so. She let out a loud moan as her body arched against his, hips thrusting in and out until she thought she would possibly burst. He grunted as he felt his seed spill into her and let his body go limp on hers. _

_Kissing her one more time, he whispered, "I love you Zyanya." before the two drifted off to sleep. _

---------------------------------------------

_Her family knew she was with child within the week. _

"_Ungrateful whore!" her mother shrieked. "Do you WANT to taint this family's good name?!" _

"_Leiko," her father interrupted, "calm down." _

_Zyanya sighed. "Thank you, fa-" but her cut her off. _

"_You are a long way from relief." he told her. _

"_But-" _

"_No." he barked. "You are not to speak unless I address you. Understood?" _

_She bowed her head and nodded. _

"_Tell me," he calmly said, "who is the father?"_

_She felt her eyes water as she looked at her father. He looked hard at her. _

"_Answer me!" he roared. _

"_I cannot tell you." she said, voice trembling. _

_He walked up to her and slapped her face with the back of his hand, cutting her right cheek with his claws in the process. She fell back holding her face. _

"_Get up." he ordered. _

_She stood before him, tears falling from her cheeks, bottom lip quivering. He stared intently into her eyes, hoping to scare the answer out of her, but she stood firm._

"_Take her away." he ordered the guards, "Strip her of her clothing and look for marks. I want to know who that youkai was." _

_The servants spent hours trying to find marks, but the only one they found was the one that signified her loss of virginity. Her father barged in after a while. _

"_Well?!!" he bellowed. _

"_My lord, there is nothing." one of the servants said. _

_His eyes shot red. _

"_As soon as that bastard is born, erase her memory." he paused, "And kill it." _

"_But Lord Masato!" one of the servants protested. _

_He looked at the servant and struck her down, dead. _

"_Anyone else have any objections?!" He glared at the remaining three in the room, all now trembling. _

_They all shook their heads no. _

_Several months later, the child was born, killed, and Zyanya sent into exile. _

_

* * *

_

"Zyanya?" Sesshoumaru softly called out to her. Tears were falling from her face.

"How do you know?" she asked him. Her voice quivered.

"I had someone try to save it. One of your father's servants were working for me."

"What happened?"

"He killed him."

Zyanya's face fell into her hands as she wept. Sesshoumaru knelt down to her side and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"She had your blue hair…" he told her, "and a crescent moon on her forehead. I had her buried under the sakura tree."

"I remember it all." she whimpered, "I remember you, the rose…" she touched her right cheek, "…my father."

She began to cry again and buried her face in his arms. The whole situation was too much for her. He suddenly felt like he had almost fifty years ago and wrapped his arms around her slender body.

"I'm so sorry." he whispered, burying his face on top of her head.

From the distance, everyone watched as Sesshoumaru held one of the only women he had ever come to love.

* * *

**And mistour Sesshoumaru finally learned to love... all was well in the world once more. XD  
Zyanya seems to cry a lot. She's a girl. What'd you expect?!! haha, jk. But wouldn't you if you found out your home was destroyed, your pet cat crushed ::snickers::, AND your dad killed your first born?!! And you can barely remember the sex... damn. **

**(oh yeah, she hardly remembers all that stuff up in italics, but shes starting to get a better idea and all... it made more sense if I just wrote it all out, though. otherwise we'd all just be confused as hell)**

Zyanya's last name, Masahiro - Wise

Kichi - of you didn't catch it above, means _fortunate_

Leiko - Arrogant

Masato - Justice

**(Suitable names, no?)**

**-VG-**


	9. Always

HELLOOOOOO

I've been doing a lot of research on my other story, and I'm hoping it'll turn out real well. I dont want to post it until its near done, though... I might change my mind later. For now, you can enjoy this one.

I realize that most of the chapters are all pretty much sad... and my little comments before and after the chapter prolly take away some of the "mood," but I can't help it. Its kind of how I deal with the seriousness of any kind of situation. I always have to make some kind of joke to lighten the mood. If you don't like it, sorry. I'll try not to do it as much.

HOLY CRAP! I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT MY BELOVED REVIWERS!!! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!  
**Lady Vicinia, Amanda, annnnnd Strawberries190**

but you know what I've noticed... chapter 1 and _3_ have the most hits... while every other one is slowly going down... did the story get worse?? This is why I ask for reviews. I want to know how to make it better. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM!  
(and why 1 and 3??)

Without my lovely reviwers, my life would be a meaningless puddle of mud. :)  
ok, my story would just seem nekkid and unloved... but its the same thing, no?

* * *

_"I remember it all." she whimpered, "I remember you, the rose…" she touched her right cheek, "…my father."_

_She began to cry again and buried her face in his arms. The whole situation was too much for her. He suddenly felt like he had almost fifty years ago and wrapped his arms around her slender body._

_"I'm so sorry." he whispered, burying his face on top of her head._

_From the distance, everyone watched as Sesshoumaru held one of the only women he had ever come to love._

* * *

"Did you name her?" Zyanya slowly asked, looking up at Sesshoumaru. 

"I couldn't" he told her.

"I want to see where you buried her."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and nodded.

"Its best we leave here, anyway." he said, "More of those youkai could arrive at any moment."

He helped her up and led her to where the others were waiting, the dead kitten wrapped in a white silk cloth.

Rin ran up to them and grabbed onto Sesshoumaru's leg. He placed his hand on her head and urged her to keep walking.

"Zyanya, I am so sorry." Kagome consoled.

"Its ok. It was only a house. There was nothing worth anything."

"But still, you took us in. Where will you stay now?"

Zyanya was silent.

"There are plenty of other villages." she said.

"We are headed back to my home right now," Sesshoumaru said, "to revisit old memories."

Inuyasha stepped forward and whispered to Sesshoumaru. "So you told her?" he asked.

The demon nodded. "She figured it out."

Inuyasha nodded. "Good luck." he told both of them.

Sango, Miroku and Shippou were all shocked to see the two brothers getting along so well. Kagome was more relieved.

"Come on, you guys." Inuyasha smirked, "Lets go back to Kaede now. I bet she misses us."

Everyone said their good-byes and thanked Zyanya as they left her forest. Sesshoumaru, Rin, Jaken and Zyanya headed in the opposite direction, into the West.

* * *

The group had barely made it a few steps out of the forest when another earth demon emerged from the ground and struck Zyanya across her back. Rin let out a blood curdling scream as she saw the bleeding woman fall forward to the floor. 

"Jaken!" Sesshoumaru yelled.

The imp grabbed Rin and shielded her from the bloody sight, and what Sesshoumaru was about to do next. He grabbed Toukijin and with three swift swings, he quartered the demon, its blood spurting in all directions.

"Damn youkai." he muttered. He turned back to Zyanya's direction and saw Rin trying to run back to her while Jaken struggled to restrain the child. She managed to get out of his grasp and ran to Zyanya, crying.

"Rin." she said weak but firm, "Rin, look at me. Look at my eyes, nothing else." She winced.

Rin whimpered.

"Just look at my face."

Rin obeyed.

"Tell Jaken to go with you and find an aloe plant and tiger lilies. Bring them back here and I'll be all better."

Rin nodded and ran off with Jaken.

Sesshoumaru knelt by Zyanya's fallen body. She turned her head to face him, trying to hide her pain.

"Is it not healing?" he asked her.

"I'll be fine."

He looked apologetically at her. "I'm sorry."

"For this?"

"I should have been there for you. I should be protecting you." He was actually apologizing to her.

"Sesshoumaru…"

He placed his hands on her shoulders and slowly removed the top of her kimono to reveal her wound. Her body was trying to heal it, but the poison from the earth demon's vines prevented that.

A few minutes later, Rin came running back with several aloe leaves and Jaken with two handfuls of tiger lilies. That was more than enough.

Zyanya sighed as Sesshoumaru took the plants from the two.

* * *

"_Sess! Are you listening to me?!" A young Zyanya yelled and punched his left arm. _

"_Ow! Yes, yes! Geez." _

"_Good." she said, "Now, as I was saying, if for some reason you get attacked by a demon and the wound doesn't heal, just mix the pollen from a tiger lily and the juices from an aloe plant." _

_They were playing earlier in his father's garden when they came across a poisoned bird. _

_Her family came over for another meeting and she was always left in the garden, seeing how politics was no place for a young lady like her. Sesshoumaru saw her father walk into his father's study and knew Zyanya was around the garden. He ran out and chased her around until they saw the bird. _

_The two teenagers (appearing no older than fifteen) mixed the two plants together and dripped the liquid onto the bird's wound. In about five minutes, the tiny bird was completely healed. _

"_Zyanya!" her father called, "Its time to leave." _

_Zyanya scooped up the bird and ran to her father, Sesshoumaru calmly following._

"_Look father!" she cried happily as she held up the bird, "Sesshoumaru helped me fix the bird." _

_The small bird flew away from the young girl's hands. Her father scowled. _

"_We don't even EAT things like that." he said, "You should have let it die." _

_Zyanya looked down in shame. This got Sesshoumaru mad. _

"_We were only playing with herbs." he replied in her defense. _

_Zyanya looked back at Sesshoumaru and smiled. _

"_Yeah," she said, "and when I become of age, I want to be a Healer!" _

_Her father's eyes grew wide as a look of shock spread across his face. Sesshoumaru's father laughed. _

"_You're going to have a lot of fun with this one, Masato."_

_He turned around and scowled at the man. _

"_Shut up, Inutaisho." he said as he grabbed his daughter and stormed off. _

_

* * *

_

The liquid he spread onto her back was finally taking effect. It was slowly healing, but a long scar would remain. She was in no condition to get up, but if they didn't move quickly, another demon would certainly try to get her again - and even Rin. He would have to carry her.

"Jaken, you are to keep both you and Rin close by me at all times until we reach home. Understood?"

The imp bowed. "Yes, my lord."

Sesshoumaru removed his haori, revealing his muscular chest, and wrapped it around Zyanya. He then gently wrapped his fluffy pelt around her as a sort of sling and carried her on his back.

She rested her head on his shoulder blade as he began walking and softly whispered, "Arigato." before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Zyanya woke that night to find her wound fully healed, but to her dismay, felt a long scar along her back. 

"Just be happy you are alive." came a cold voice.

She turned her head to see Sesshoumaru, topless, sitting by a small fire, holding a sleeping Rin in his lap. Jaken was off resting by a tree, holding his staff.

"This scar," she said, disgusted, "is nothing but a reminder of my carelessness. I refuse to let something like this happen again."

"You let your emotions get the best of you."

She scowled at him. "Something one acquires when getting too close to humans."

Sesshoumaru looked down at the sleeping child in his arms.

"I deny nothing." he told her.

Zyanya concentrated on the fire.

_How could I have been so stupid?! Not sensing any kind of danger! Had Sesshoumaru? This is the second time I would have put my entire family to shame. Family… _

She suddenly felt her body tremble. She sat up abruptly, holding his haori closed over her breasts.

"Why are we just sitting still?!" she hissed, "Those things could still be after us!"

Sesshoumaru looked at the frantic woman and let out a low chuckle. "Don't tell me you haven't realized it yet."

"Realized what?" She was confused.

"Look around you." he told her, "We are deep in my territory."

Zyanya looked around, letting her cat-like senses take control. She spotted the garden she used to play in as a child whenever she and her father came to visit Inutaisho, the sakura tree where she shared her first kiss with Sesshoumaru, and finally, his father's mansion.

"Why are we…" she said softly.

"I wanted to show you something when you woke. And Rin wanted to make sure she was here when you did wake." He nudged the sleeping child and she slowly woke up. He looked over at Zyanya who quickly went back down and pretended to just be waking.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Look!" Rin cried.

"You should go to her and make sure she wakes up safely." he told the girl.

Rin scurried out of his lap and went to Zyanya's side.

"Are you okay, Zyanya-sama??"

Zyanya looked up at Rin with sleepy eyes. She opened them more and went up to hug the worried girl.

"Oh Rin! If it weren't for you, I would most certainly be dead."

The girl looked smug. "Then we must get you to bed in case an in-fect-cheron occurs." she tried saying, looking up at Sesshoumaru making sure she said it right.

He nodded and cut in. "First I need to show your patient something before she goes back to bed, Rin. If that's alright with you?"

Rin looked up at the demon and smiled before yawning.

"Why don't you get Jaken to take you back inside so you can sleep in your bed?" he told the girl as he nudged her toward the sleeping imp. She pinched Jaken's nose and grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the mansion.

"Come on Jaken!" she giggled, "Sesshoumaru-sama says you have to take me in bed!"

The imp's eyes widened even more than they already were. "What?!!" he cried.

"PUT her in bed Jaken." Sesshoumaru told him. "You will sleep in your own."

The imp let out a sigh of relief as Rin pulled him inside, still giggling.

"She'll wear herself out." Sesshoumaru said more to himself. Zyanya just stared at him.

"How did you ever get a human to trust you?"

"It's a long story." he told her. "Now come. I need you to see this."

* * *

Her led her to the sakura tree. A small mound lay there with a pink rose placed on top of it. She knelt down by the little mound. 

"A grave should not be this tiny." she whispered.

Sesshoumaru knelt beside her. "It wasn't your fault." he told her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"But I was her mother. I was the one who was supposed to protect her. She was only a newborn…"

"And I was her father. We both share equally in the guilt, but there was nothing neither of us could have done."

She was silent for a moment.

"You never named her?"

He shook his head no.

She looked back at the grave.

"Kichi and Aiko are buried on the other side of this tree." he told her.

She let out a small sigh. "What do you think of Nochipa?"

"Isn't that the same as your name?" he asked her.

"Yeah… it means 'always.' A part of me died when she did…and I never want to forget her, though I doubt I will."

Sesshoumaru looked back at the grave. "Always…"

* * *

**I have no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned tiger lilies and aloe plants. Don't take that seriously. I know aloe is good for the skin, but as far as tiger lilies go... they're just fun to look at. :P**

Zyanya - **ALWAYS**

Nochipa - **ALWAYS**

**Both are names somewhere from Mexico. Nochipa is from the Nahuatl language while Zyanya is from some Ben Zaa thing... I dont know. They call themselves Cloud People, and they're all pretty much super hott.**

**Both were found from the book, "Aztec" by Gary Jennings. I'm going to keep telling you all to look for the book and read it because its THAT awesome. Its really long, though... like 1040 pages. But it is so worth it. You. Will. Cry.**

**(And no, just because they have Mexica names doesn't mean shes Messican. I just like the names.)**

**-VG-**


	10. Claustrophobia

**::gasp:: four chapters left. **

**NOOOOOOOO... **

* * *

_She let out a small sigh. "What do you think of Nochipa?"_

_"Isn't that the same as your name?" he asked her._

_"Yeah… it means 'always.' A part of me died when she did…and I never want to forget her, though I doubt I will."_

_Sesshoumaru looked back at the grave. "Always…"_

* * *

Rin woke from her slumber to find it was still dark outside. 

_The sun won't rise for another hour or so. _

Being alone in a giant room was a bit unsettling, but she knew there was nothing out there that would ever hurt her... so why couldn't she sleep? She rolled around in her bed, trying to find a comfortable position, but could not, and so let out a small whimper of discomfort. Her stomach began to hurt as she rolled around under her covers. When she could take the pain no longer, she sat up in her bed, crouched over holding her stomach, and began to cry. It was a soft cry she knew neither Sesshoumaru nor Zyanya would ever hear, but she didn't want to cry any louder for fear of angering Jaken in the next room over… and it hurt too damn much to get up and walk over to Sesshoumaru's room. She felt completely helpless.

She looked up at the ceiling with tear filled eyes. The walls seemed to be closing in on her.

She screamed. "Poh-san!" and cried even louder, hiding her head under the covers.

In a room across the mansion, both Zyanya and Sesshoumaru woke with a start. Zyanya looked next to her to find Sesshoumaru still topless, with his right arm behind her. No doubt she had fallen asleep in his embrace. Breaking away from that thought, she tried to find the cry that woke her from her slumber.

"Was that-?"

"Rin." he finished.

The two demons got out of bed and rushed to the child's room.

"I don't sense any youkai nearby." she said.

"Its something else." he replied, more to himself than her.

He slid open Rin's door to find her in the center of her room, curled up in a ball, crying.

Rin looked up at the two demons. "It hurts." she cried.

Sesshoumaru went over and picked up the girl. Zyanya walked up and placed a hand on her stomach.

"Has she ever been afraid of the dark?" she asked him.

He shook his head, telling her no.

Zyanya rubbed Rin's forehead. "I'm going to make you some special tea to make your tummy ache go away, okay?"

Rin nodded.

Fifteen minutes later, Zyanya returned with a warm cup of what smelled like ginger and mint tea. Rin drank it slowly as Zyanya rubbed the girl's tiny belly while Sesshoumaru watched with interest.

"Better?" she asked as the child finished.

Rin smiled and wrapped her tiny arms around Zyanya's neck. "Arigato, Zyanya-sama."

"Can you sleep in here? Or would you like to sleep with Sesshoumaru-sama and me?" Zyanya cooed.

Rin's eyes brightened and Zyanya took her hand and led her to the master bedroom. She tucked her in and kissed her forehead.

"Now wait here." she told the child. "We'll be right back, I just need to talk to Sesshoumaru-sama real quick."

Rin nodded, a little scared.

Zyanya slid the door shut.

"She had a panic attack." she told Sesshoumaru, who was waiting for her outside.

"How could you tell?"

Zyanya raised her eyebrows. "After all these years, you still forget my title?"

He chuckled softly. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Let her build a sense of trust here. Has she always slept in that room?"

"We traveled a lot. She usually slept outside with Jaken and Ah-Un while I occasionally watched over from a distance."

"Well, that's it! She's not used to being alone in closed spaces."

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin cried from inside.

The two looked at each other and Zyanya gave him that 'I told you so' look before going back in. Rin was sitting up in the bed clutching the blankets. They both climbed in on either side of her and laid down.

"Shh…" Sesshoumaru calmed her, tracing a clawed finger along her forehead as she laid back with them. She moved her body closer to Sesshoumaru's chest, looked back, and pulled Zyanya closer as well.

Sesshoumaru chuckled and grabbed the woman's hand. Rin saw the two clawed hands join over her and smiled as she drifted off back to sleep.

* * *

**FIN. **

**And thus ends part I of my story. There's no way in hell I'm letting Zyanya off that easy!!! ****This was like the shortest filler… of filler chapters ever. Hahaha**

**How'd you like it? **

**And you know what else! I bet Rin planned all that!! The little rat…**

poh-san - father (..or something like that. I'm not sure how to spell it.)

**-VG-**


	11. Part II, The Quiet One Speaks Up

**PART II - ALWAYS **

I'm really excited about these next few chapters... despite the fact that this story is now coming to a close. We meet even MORE new characters.   
I didn't feel like making it a new story 'cause 1. the last chapter would have SUCKED, I like to see SUFFERING!! and 2. I hate when I have to find a new link to finish reading a story.

enjoy!!!

* * *

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed as the hanyou went speeding down the trail. He was holding his newborn son and couldn't wait to show him off to Sesshoumaru just to see the look on his brother's face. 

"Even with his own kid…" Shippou sighed. "Your poor son is going to be traumatized, Kagome."

Inuyasha heard this and ran back to Shippou, hitting the fox across the head.

"Hey Shippou, the village wants their idiot back!" he yelled.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed again. "Right in front of Kiyoshi!"

She took the giggling child out of Inuyasha's arms and cradled him. He looked like his father in almost every single way. The little dog ears on top of his tiny head, the demon eyes, the fangs. His hair was a darker shade of grey, but he most certainly got it from his father.

"I wonder why he's never cried." Kagome said, looking at her child.

"You should be more relieved than concerned, Kagome." Inuyasha told her. "Shippou makes up for it, anyway. Always screaming and crying."

"That's all your fault! Baka!" Shippou yelled.

"Hey!"

"OSUWARI!"

Inuyasha fell, face first, into the ground before he could strike Shippou again.

"Thank you, Kagome!" the fox cried as he jumped on her shoulder and rubbed his head against her cheek.

Inuyasha stood up and glared at Shippou, who was now sticking his tongue out at him.

"Keh…" he said, ignoring them and focusing more on the child in Kagome's arms. He stroked his index finger across the child's cheek. It turned it's head around and began sucking on the finger, grasping it as hard as he possibly could so it wouldn't get away.

Inuyasha looked up at Kagome. "Hey Kagome, wh-" but his sentence was cut off by a piercing yelp. Several birds flew out of the nearby trees.

With tears in his eyes, Inuyasha held his throbbing index finger.

"He bit me! That damn kid bit me!!" he growled, before placing it into his own mouth and sucking it.

"Inuyasha, he's teething!" Kagome hissed.

Kiyoshi burst out in giggles. Not even a full month old and already growing in his teeth. Demon babies sure were strange.

* * *

Zyanya was planting a new garden outside Sesshoumaru's mansion when she heard a small squeal. She looked over to see Rin standing beside the sakura tree looking at Nochipa's little shrine. There was a small spider on it weaving a web. Rin had tried to hit the spider away, but instead received a little pinch from it. 

"Rin, are you alright?" Zyanya called out to her.

The child's eyes were now big and watery. It was only a pinch, and the pain was already subsiding, but the initial shock of what had just occurred wasn't quite gone.

Clutching her hand and running over to where Zyanya was standing, Rin cried.

"The spider bited me!"

Zyanya knelt down and cradled Rin in her arms. "It's okay." she cooed.

She looked down and inspected Rin's hand.

"A-am-I-go-going-to-d-die?" she managed to croak out in between sobs.

Zyanya gave out a little laugh. "Of course not, dear! It was just a _tiny _pinch." She held her thumb and index finger close together to emphasize 'tiny.' "Would you like me to kiss it? I think that will make the ouch go away."

Rin nodded her head.

Amazingly, as soon as Zyanya had kissed her hand, the pain was completely gone. Rin was shocked.

"What'd you do??"

"I kissed it. Just like I said I would."

"That's em-azing!"

Zyanya laughed at the way the child said this. "Would you like to help me plan these herbs? They help get rid of stomach aches, head aches, ouchies and anything else that doesn't feel good."

Rin's eyes brightened. She couldn't believe Zyanya was going to let her help out. After all, herbs were very important.

"Are there any flowers?" she asked, inspecting the different plants and seeds Zyanya laid out.

"Hmm… I think there is." The woman reached out to a few small seeds. "You know what a rose is, don't you?"

Rin nodded.

"Well these are special rose seeds. If you plan them right, we can make some pretty smelling perfumes and soaps."

"Is that why you always smell so good?" Rin stated more than asked.

Zyanya laughed at the child again. She was beginning to understand why Sesshoumaru let her stay around him all this time. She was so interesting. At first, she thought she was just an annoying handful, but eventually came to understand that the little human was simply curious and full of life. She wondered if her own daughter would have been like that.

Rin ran off to a different section of the small garden to plant her rose seeds.

"I know that look." Sesshoumaru said to her from behind.

Zyanya spun around, surprised by the fact that she hadn't sensed him. Her demon senses were starting to annoy her more and more.

"Your senses are getting weaker, you know."

Zyanya nodded. "I know. It must have something to do with the changing seasons. They'll come back."

Sesshoumaru nodded. He knew why.

"Is your memory fully back yet?"

She looked over at Rin, who finished planting and was now chasing a blue butterfly. She looked down.

"I'm having Jaken tell me the story of my life from so long ago… and as much as I wish I could, I can't seem to remember much of what happened between us."

"Isn't it enough that you remember me?"

She shook her head. "I want to remember everything. How we met, what we did, why you never returned…"

"We met when we were still very young." he started, "I hardly remember that far. Up until our adolescence, we ran aimlessly through the gardens."

"So why did you leave?"

"You know how your father was!"

Zyanya just stared at the demon. She was interrupted by a baby's giggle and a male shriek. From behind Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Kagome came into view holding a child that looked very similar to the half-demon and pulling on his ear.

Sesshoumaru turned and walked towards them to get a better view of the child. Rin ran up, grabbed Zyanya's hand, and ran after him.

* * *

"HIS name is Kiyoshi." Inuyasha proudly said as the child sat on his head, laughing as he pulled his hair. 

Sesshoumaru looked at the child. "It doesn't look very quiet."

"Because he hardly ever cries." Kagome said, "He just laughs and bites."

Kiyoshi seemed to like the way Zyanya looked because he began to whimper and held his arms out to her.

"May I?" she asked Kagome, who nodded.

Kiyoshi giggled in Zyanya's arms and situated himself comfortably so he could fall asleep. Zyanya rubbed the back of her hand along the child's cheek. He felt so soft and delicate. As much as she cared for Rin, she enjoyed holding this baby more. She had missed this particular part of Rin's life. Sesshoumaru noticed this.

She handed the sleeping child back to his mother. The two couples spent a few hours chatting with one another while Rin and Shippou played together until the sun began to set. By then, the two kids were worn out and hungry.

"We should probably go." Kagome said.

"It was nice seeing you two again." Zyanya told Kagome and rubbed Kiyoshi's cheek once more.

Sesshoumaru nodded to Inuyasha and the two couples turned their separate ways.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said after a while, "What do you think would have happened if I didn't have Kiyoshi?"

"I would have never forgiven myself. Now stop asking. I love you."

Kiyoshi woke up and began to cry. Kagome and Inuyasha both looked at him in shock. He began to cry louder, kicked and screamed. Kagome was worried and tried to comfort him. Inuyasha's ears perked up and ran ahead of the two.

* * *

Kiyoshi - Quiet one 

**heh heh, wouldn't it be nice to have a kid that only knew how to giggle? I know I'd like it.  
This is just the beginning. I have nothing else to comment about on this chapter... just look for the next one!!**

**-VG-**


	12. Killing Perfection

_Kiyoshi woke up and began to cry. Kagome and Inuyasha both looked at him in shock. He began to cry louder, kicked and screamed. Kagome was worried and tried to comfort him. Inuyasha's ears perked up and ran ahead of the two._

* * *

In a clearing up ahead were two demons wielding what looked like a flaming sword. Wherever the sword was aimed, anything in it's path would burn until there were nothing left but embers.

"That youkai lord is going to be furious with you, sister. You're destroying the forest terribly near his dwelling."

This came from a short male demon with orange spiked hair. His muscular body was adorned with numerous amounts of amour and weaponry. Standing next to him, in a battle stance facing the recently destroyed trees, stood his older sister, Hotaru. She had thick, long, red hair and wore a thin silver crown over her forehead, which had a small ruby in the center. On her lightly tanned body, she wore red and silver battle clothing, her weapons consisting only of the fire sword she wielded and a crossbow hanging over her back. She glared at her younger brother with her red eyes.

"Baka! This is what we want." she hissed, showing him the destruction. "Your cousin found that damn Inu-youkai that impregnated her with his bastard. She's going to embarrass the entire clan again!"

"But sister, Zyanya is your cousin as well, no?"

"No. I cut her family out of my life. They are no better than the Inu now… but _mother_ insists on keeping the girl's memories in the family. She was always her favorite..."

The younger demon looked down and set a small lizard on fire with his toe. "I don't see why Masato-san can't have his earth men do it. They already destroyed that entire village she's been hiding in."

Hotaru pounded the top of her brother's head with a closed fist.

"Baka!" she yelled even louder, "Because we are in her damn lover's land! The earth idiots were banned from here years ago. Why the hell did you have to join me?! You know nothing!"

He puffed his chest out proudly. "Because I am the best male warrior in our clan, and it is my duty to ensure you complete your task."

"You're also the biggest idiot, Haku" she replied, rolling her eyes.

Inuyasha had heard enough. He sprinted back to Kagome and the now sleeping Kiyoshi, lifted them up and ran back to Sesshoumaru as fast as he could. Shippou was left behind, cursing Inuyasha, and chasing after as fast as his little legs would allow.

* * *

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes. A quarter of the forest is nearly gone now, thanks to that woman."

"Woman?!"

Sesshoumaru pushed Inuyasha aside and rushed as fast as he could to the forest the two demons were setting ablaze. Of course, there had always been other threats of demons and humans trying to take over his land, but a mere _woman_?! He could never let that happen. Zyanya took off after him, instructing Inuyasha and Kagome to keep Rin on the mansion's premises before she left.

The two demons came upon the clearing. Zyanya let out a small gasp while Sesshoumaru let a low growl escape from his throat as they both gazed at the recent destruction.

The two siblings turned around and let a small smirk spread across both their faces.

"Ah, Zyanya!" Hotaru started. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"What are you two doing here?!" she growled.

"We are here to pay our most _cherished_ cousin a visit." Haku told her. "Have you not missed us?"

"You two tried killing me and succeeded in doing so to my child!"

The young male demon smiled. "Well, if its any consolation, that thing put up one hell of a fight."

Sesshoumaru switched his gaze from the empty forest, to Zyanya, and then shot a death glare at the two demons responsible for it all.

"You two will not make it out of this forest alive." he growled.

Hotaru laughed. "The famous Sesshoumaru-sama DOES contain emotions in that hard shell exterior! Haku, we must inform the clan this youkai certainly isn't the annoying prick we all thought he was."

Haku smirked. "All those damn Inu-youkai are the same. None can seem to keep to their own kind. Tell me, are all your bitches THAT repulsive?"

"Imagine how their child must have looked. What a shame, Zyanya. We actually considered you somewhat of a beauty."

Sesshoumaru could stand this no longer. He knew the cat demons were notorious for provoking other demons into battle, but not only had they insulted his kind, but also Zyanya and his deceased child. This was unforgivable.

He pulled out Toukijin and charged toward Hotaru. A giant gust of flames burst forward as the two swords clashed. Hotaru's fire sword was actually resisting Toukijin. Sesshoumaru would not let that discourage him. His eyes began to glow red and from his newly restored left hand, he produced his light whip and struck Haku across the chest. The unsuspecting demon had no time to react as the whip destroyed his armor and came striking back, slicing him into several pieces.

Hotaru looked back at her slain brother.

"Haku!" she shrieked.

Like Sesshoumaru, her eyes began to glare red.

"You will pay dearly for that, damn dog!" she hissed.

She pushed him away from her and pulled out a golden staff very similar to Zyanya's silver one.

Letting out a low chuckle, she glanced at the two demons.

"Tell me," she said, "is that human girl afraid of the dark?"

Zyanya hissed and began to charge forward, but Hotaru was already high in the air and disappeared.

"Sesshoumaru!" she shrieked, "Go to Rin! Make sure she's alright. Hotaru is mine." And with that, she was off.

* * *

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed. 

She was hiding in one of the rooms in the mansion trying desperately to keep Kiyoshi, Shippou, and Rin calm. Some kind of cat demon charged upon them and tried to kidnap Rin. The demon looked very similar to Zyanya, only it was a male.

"Kaze no Kizu!" Inuyasha yelled as he swung Tetsusaiga.

The demon barely missed the attack, jumping away just in time. He had no need for Inuyasha and walked toward the mansion. His main concern was the child, Rin.

"Hey!" Inuyasha yelled, "Get back here! We're fighting!"

"Shut up, hanyou. Just give me the girl and I'll let you live." he told him.

"Never!"

The demon sighed. "Very well."

He turned around and from his side, he produced two long daggers and prepared to strike at Inuyasha.

"Yukio, get out."

The demon turned around to see Sesshoumaru standing several feet behind him.

"Ah, Sesshoumaru. Nice of you to finally drop in. Your brother here was about to get a little taste of my daggers."

"Don't bother wasting your time on him, or anyone else here for that matter. Leave."

"Never!" he hissed. "Zyanya was and forever will be mine! I am her rightful owner!"

"Owner? Since when did she ever belong to you?"

"Since birth!" he yelled, "You know very well she and I were to mate!"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "And then she had a child and ruined it for you. Spare me your story."

Yukio could feel his anger rising. "Damn youkai! You've ruined everything my clan held dear. Our pure lineage, tainted!"

Sesshoumaru bowed. "I am, after all, the 'killing perfection.'" he smirked.

Yukio could take this no longer. He lunged at Sesshoumaru, his body full of rage, and only had one thing in mind - to kill the demon that stole his bride's heart.

"You let your emotions get the best of you… like a human." Sesshoumaru said.

In the blink of an eye, he whisked Toukijin out and sliced his opponent in half, killing him instantly.

"Fool."

He looked over at Inuyasha who just stood in disbelief. "Inuyasha, go make sure everyone else is alright."

* * *

Inside the mansion, it looked like the aftermath of a horror movie. Bits of blood were splattered on the wall, furniture overturned and fine china destroyed. Inuyasha heard crying from another room and quickly ran inside to see a scared Shippou holding a screaming baby and Kagome trying to comfort a bloody Rin. 

Kagome looked up and cried. "Inuyasha! Help me!"

He could only stare at this horrendous scene. Rin had claw marks along her back, face, and chest - all the work of the jealous Yukio. He had tried to kidnap Rin in order to get to Sesshoumaru and Zyanya. Fortunately, Inuyasha was able to step in, but that left the cat demon no other choice but to try and kill the child.

"Sesshoumaru!" he yelled, "It's Rin!!"

From outside, Sesshoumaru heard Inuyasha calling him and his ears perked at hearing Rin's name.

"Rin?" he whispered.

In a flash, he was at Kagome's side with the back of his hand gently touching the child's unmarked cheek.

"Give her to me." he ordered.

Kagome nodded and obeyed.

"Bring me warm water, bandages, and retrieve Jaken. _Now!_"

He held Rin close to him as Kagome and Inuyasha ran off to gather everything. A tiny hand gently grabbed Sesshoumaru's. He looked down to see Rin, her eyes filled with pain and tears.

"Sess-hou-maru-sama" she weakly said, "I-I… sorry."

"Shh. Rin." he told her, placing an index finger to her lips. "You'll be fine."

She nodded and closed her eyes, placing her head against his chest.

"Jaken." he called as soon as he heard the imp approach with the water and bandages. "Clean Rin's wounds and prepare her some broth. Give some to those children over there as well." he said, pointing to Kagome trying to calm a distressed Shippou and Kiyoshi. Jaken bowed as Sesshoumaru handed him Rin and left in search of Zyanya and Hotaru.

* * *

**::sigh:: That chapter had me on edge. Sesshoumaru kills them like nothing, and everyone else always struggles. I love it!**

Hotaru - Firefly

Haku - …actually, I have no idea what this name means. I just liked the way it looked next to Hotaru's name.

Yukio - God will nourish/ gets what he wants

**Reviews are greatly appreciated :) **

**-VG- **


	13. The Right Way

**::sigh:: This is the second to last chapter... I'm still procrastinating with that other story I mentioned. haha**

_

* * *

"Jaken." he called as soon as he heard the imp approach with the water and bandages. "Clean Rin's wounds and prepare her some broth. Give some to those children over there as well." he said, pointing to Kagome trying to calm a distressed Shippou and Kiyoshi. Jaken bowed as Sesshoumaru handed him Rin and left in search of Zyanya and Hotaru._

* * *

**Chapter 13:**

Zyanya followed her estranged cousin's scent for about twenty miles outside Sesshoumaru's territory. Needless to say, she was dead tired and this is exactly what Hotaru had wanted.

Standing in the middle of a deathly isolated rocky valley, Zyanya paused and caught her breath, closing her eyes. She had temporarily lost the scent, but she vowed to find it and hunt down its owner, no matter how long it took.

"Damnit!" she hissed to herself.

She couldn't find it. Falling to her knees, she held her arms close to her chest. Not once did she ever lose a scent or let her guard down, but ever since Sesshoumaru came back into her life, that had all changed. For the very first time, she felt completely helpless. Then instantly, images of her past came flooding back into her mind. When she first met Sesshoumaru as a child, laying with him for the first time, her dead child, her destroyed home, Rin.

_Wait… _

Immediately, she opened her eyes and turned her head up towards the sky.

"Hotaru!" she shrieked, "Stop being a coward and show yourself! I know you're here!"

She could hear Hotaru's low chuckle echo within the valley.

"Show yourself!" she yelled again.

A streak of red light came shooting down from high above her and was aimed at her head. She moved away just in time. Spinning around, she spotted Hotaru standing near the top of the valley.

"Hiding behind your bows again?" she called up to her.

Hotaru jumped down to meet Zyanya, their faces only inches apart.

"You should be dead right now!" Hotaru hissed. "That damn dog ruined not only your life, but the rest of your family's as well! Your own mother died from grief."

Zyanya pulled out a long katana she hid in her clothing and aimed it at Hotaru.

"They ruined their own lives by trying to destroy mine." she told her.

"Sesshoumaru is no respectable youkai! You both reek of humans. Especially that ugly little girl you've been taking care of."

Zyanya swung her sword at her cousin, who blocked it with her fire sword.

"Her name is Rin." she growled before striking again.

Each blow she gave was filled with more force, but the fire sword was too strong. Putting all her strength into one final blow, she aimed for Hotaru's neck. Unfortunately, Hotaru knew what she was trying to do and swung her fire sword with enough power to cut Zyanya's katana in half.

The woman stumbled to the ground at this blow and could only look up helplessly as her cousin aimed the fire sword to her face and stood over her.

"Mommy and daddy aren't here to protect you anymore, cousin." Hotaru laughed, bringing her sword over her head.

Zyanya, admitting defeat, bowed her head down and prepared for the final blow.

"This all ends now."

_'I'm sorry, Rin... Sesshoumaru.'_

Just as Hotaru brought the sword swinging down, a bright flash flew past Hotaru and the last thing she saw were both her arms laying in a bloody heap on the ground. She heard a voice mutter "Dokkasou." before a clawed hand grabbed her face and another pierced through her heart.

-------

Zyanya watched as her cousin's face melted away in Sesshoumaru's clawed hand. She realized then that everything was over.

As he shoved the lifeless body to the ground, he turned to face Zyanya.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

She stared at the dead body, then back up at Sesshoumaru.

"You were supposed to let me kill her!" she hissed at him.

"What? Allowing your life to end is going to do the same to hers?!" Sesshoumaru stopped himself. Never before had he ever had to get into an argument where he rose his voice like that. Hotaru was dead. That alone should have been enough.

"Come." he coldly said, "We are going back home. There is nothing left for you here."

* * *

Back at the mansion, Kagome was resting in one of the many rooms with a sleeping Shippou and Kiyoshi in each arm. Inuyasha was watching over Rin, making sure she didn't move around and reopen any wounds. The day took it's toll on everyone. 

By nightfall, Sesshoumaru and Zyanya arrived back, the moonlight guiding their way. He headed toward the front entrance, a few feet ahead of her, when he stopped.

"You know," he said, his back still facing her, "you are no longer in any kind of danger."

He waited a few seconds, but she only replied with a "Hn." and continued walking.

Rin heard the two demons enter and slowly raised her head. "Sess-houmaru-sama?"

Zyanya heard the child's voice and rushed over to her.

"Rin!" she cried. She was completely unaware the child's wounds were all Yukio's doing.

Upon removing the bandages, she saw the claw marks and quickly determined they were from a cat demon. They were too deep to be done by a female and definitely too neat to be done by a clumsy demon like Haku.

She traced her fingers over one of the wounds.

"_Yukio?"_

"Hai." Inuyasha heard her mutter the name and answered her.

"Damnit." she growled.

It was then she began to regret ever being born into a cat demon clan. She hated their pride, hated their old ways, and hated their distaste for all other beings.

"Zyanya-sama?" Rin cried, "It hurts."

Zyanya looked down at Rin and pitied her. Her tiny body was no match for the claws of a cat demon. She had to heal the girl's wounds right away. She knelt down and softly whispered into her ear.

"Rin, this may hurt a little, but I have to do this if you want to be healed. Do you trust me?"

She nodded.

Zyanya closed her eyes and placed her hands gently on top of some of the deeper wounds. Blood began to slowly creep out of Rin's skin from the touch alone. A small light formed from her fingers and spread over the wounds. Rin cried out in pain, but her body was healing and she eventually calmed down.

Sesshoumaru watched this all from the doorway and memories from the night they had first lain together captured his thoughts.

_It all began with that damn rose. _

Zyanya met Sesshoumaru's gaze and slightly blushed. She directed her eyes over to Inuyasha huddled with his small family. It was then she knew her life still had meaning. Allowing herself to die would have been futile.

"Inuyasha, Kagome, thank you for watching over Rin. I think she will be fine now. Go find Jaken and tell him to bring Ah-Un." Sesshoumaru told them. "You may go home."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha. He could tell she was exceedingly tired and knew going home was the best thing. The two stood up, Inuyasha holding a sleeping Shippou, Kagome holding her sleeping Kiyoshi, said their good byes and were off.

Sesshoumaru knelt by Rin and stroked his fingers along her cheek. She was already in a deep sleep.

"She won't wake up for a while… at least 24 hours." Zyanya told him. "I put her under a little spell."

Seeing this as his chance, Sesshoumaru grabbed Zyanya's hand and whisked her away to his bedroom.

"Sesshou-"

"Shh. We're going to do this the right way now." he said before planting his lips forcefully onto hers. She didn't think she would have forgiven him so easily, but she made herself realize the only thing temporarily damaged was her ego.

She wrapped her arms tight around his neck as he let his hands wander from her back to her hips, pulling her closer to his growing erection. She softly ground her hips into his, teasing him, and he grunted from displeasure.

He threw her onto his bed and quickly shed himself of his haori and armor. He straddled over her feminine body, still wrapped in that annoying yukata. He bent down to make little nips and kisses on her neck as he fumbled with the top of her clothing, smiling when he heard her gasp as he got to that certain spot right above her collarbone.

He successfully removed her clothing and tossed it to the side as she let her hands travel down his lower back to his front. She let her hands press down past his obi down over his hakama to massage his now painful erection. He grunted, grinding his hips into her hand, but it wasn't enough.

She switched their positions so she was now straddling his waist as she bent over placing hot kisses down his chest. Finally, coming face to face with his obi, she began to slowly remove it with her teeth. Just to tease him even more, she slowly kissed lower, pulling his hakama down for what seemed like an eternity. Grasping his arousal in her soft hand, she began to slowly pump it, kissing and swirling the tip with her tongue as if it were a lollipop. He bucked his hips to get her to do more, but she wouldn't give him that satisfaction. She chuckled and let her hold of him go while he let out a low growl. He pulled her up to meet his lips and switched their positions. Grabbing her hand, he placed it over her hot opening and had her pump one of her fingers in and out. She became wet almost instantly and he joined his fingers in along with hers.

The moans from her mouth were more like whimpers, begging for something more than just their fingers.

He pulled her hand up to his mouth and began to lick her juices from both of their fingers. He then placed his lips back over hers, positioning his body in between her legs.

"Sessho-" she moaned.

"Shh."

As he slid into her, she let out a loud moan. He growled into her neck, pumping slowly at first. She bucked her hips into his, urging him to go faster. The faster he went, the more he felt her walls closing in on him. Hitting her final orgasm, she let out a loud moan - practically a scream - as he spilled inside of her and bit her hard above her left breast, leaving bloody teeth marks, finally marking her his.

He looked down at her and gazed into her eyes. She was, at long last, his and his only.

"Sesshoumaru…"

He kissed her lips one final time before collapsing next to her, the two falling asleep in each other's embrace.

* * *

**Wow. That was hard to write. Hahaha **

**There's only one chapter left::cries:: **

**-VG-**


	14. The End

**Oh man, I took forever posting this one... has it really been a week? Just goes to show how busy I've been. I would have posted this over the weekend, but a few friends came over and kind of got drunk... leaving me to take care of them. (haha!)  
**_but you didn't need to know that_

**Anyway, heres the last chapter!!! Thank you for all the kind reviews and stuff. I hope ya'll enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. XD**

* * *

As the day's progressed, Rin became perfectly healthy, both she and her body completely oblivious to Yukio's attack. She became extremely excited the day Zyanya told her she was going to become an older sister. She ran around the mansion screaming and jumping for joy. Sesshoumaru had to send Jaken on her before his urge to break the girl in half took over. It was a long nine months. 

Zyanya gave birth to her second daughter right in the middle of a heavy thunderstorm. Jaken was mumbling something about bad omens and another heir while he paced around with Rin on his heels.

"Jaken-sama? When will the baby be here?"

Jaken looked up. "Just listen for cries."

He began his pace again while Rin ran to Zyanya and Sesshoumaru's room to listen. A few minutes later, instead of hearing the cries of a baby, Rin heard laughing. Sesshoumaru slid the door open for Rin and Jaken to come in. They rushed in to see a tiny, light skinned, baby with cat-like amber eyes, magenta stripes on both its cheeks, and white hair with two blue streaks in the front.

Rin gazed at it in awe. "Kawaii! What are you going to name it, Zyanya-sama?"

Zyanya looked at Sesshoumaru. "Definitely not Leiko. I don't care about my family's customs anymore."

In Zyanya's family it was traditional to name one's daughters after the mother's mother.

"I don't want a daughter thinking she's meant to be arrogant."

"How about Sachi or Mika?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Rin piped up. "Atsuko!"

Immediately the baby looked over at Rin and laughed.

Zyanya smiled. "Atsuko it is."

* * *

Inuyasha and Kagome visited every so often, bringing Kiyoshi with them to keep Atsuko company. For some strange reason, the girl had no definite form and could change into whichever animal she pleased, although she favored the form of a small grey mouse more often than any others. 

Occasionally Kiyoshi would bring his newfound puppy with him, but today the two cousins took joy in nothing else but poking each other and then laughing about it right after.

Zyanya watched their little game in amusement from afar. From behind her, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Sesshoumaru actually smiling. Had anyone else been around, they would have been able to tell it was a smile as well… and probably would have freaked out.

"Hey Anya, I want to show you something."

She smirked. He sounded like a little kid again.

She played along. "What is it Sesshou?"

From his left hand, he produced a rose from his poison claws just like he had for her all those years ago.

"The only problem is the poison."

She smiled and took the rose from him. "That can be fixed." she said as she kissed him and turned it to ice.

"Just like old times." he chuckled, wrapping her in his arms.

_Better. _

* * *

**FIN.  
:P**

**Wow… its over. **

**That's it! No sequels, no… whatever. haha. I HATE sequels with a passion, but if I feel the need to, I'll read one or two… but I really can't stand them. **

Sachi - joy

Mika - new moon

Atsuko - child of profound emotions

**Thank you for reading this story! You can catch my other story, "Fat Brown Lump," in a few weeks!!**

**(Amanda, you know why its named that…I'm totally over it. daha)**

**-VG-**


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